


Otrera

by AmeliaAndreas3



Series: An Endless chain. [16]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Gen, POV Alternating, The rebellion never happened, Vendettas, Victor/mentor bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:53:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 27,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25431931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmeliaAndreas3/pseuds/AmeliaAndreas3
Summary: A year out of her arena, Jean struggles to adjust to the victor life, now with mentoring thrown into the mix.Sloane Berkley from district 2 was not chosen to, but volunteered for the hunger games anyway. Because no one can stop her for getting revenge on her sister's behalf.Let the 111th hunger games begin.This a sequel to "it's a long, long way back home" but you don't have to read it to understand this one.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: An Endless chain. [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1468564
Comments: 20
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue/reaping

**Author's Note:**

> The POV system is once again inspired by TintinnabulousRunes 's POV system. Which is awesome :)
> 
> Also: TW! SUICIDE (a mention from Sloane in the beginning) be careful y'all💕

**Sloane ~~St Mark~~ Berkley**

**District 2**

~~**Unofficial** ~~ **volunteer for the 111th hunger games.**

When Athena Rolland pulled me aside sometime after the victory tour to tell me my dad blew his brains out with a shotgun, I felt nothing. 

I should've been happy, I suppose, considering how he treated Clarisse and I like shit. But the only thought went through my mind was: _It was only a matter of time._ Followed by: _I wish I would've been the one to end his life._

That was when I decided to take on my mother's old name- the only thing left from her. The first thing I said to Athena following the news was: "that means I can legally change my name now, right?" 

Athena said it's a complicated matter to change my name in my file record and the district's population records- the one in charge of putting my name in the reaping bowl- but she'll do her best. 

From that day on my friends knew me as Sloane Berkley, and I was gonna make everyone who said otherwise sorry. 

"Don't you wanna save a part of your sister in you? The shared last name is a good way to do it" the centre's guidance counselor flipped between my file's paper. 

My hand closes on the short sword Clarisse gave me for my 13th birthday. Together we named it _Otrera._ After the first amazon and overall a badass greek Heroine.

"I've already got a part of Clarisse saved in me. Thank you. Please finish my psychological analysis, Mrs Ertiane." 

"Of course." 

I felt confident walking into my first match this year. My skills with a short sword were pretty damn Impressive, I've won a good share of the fights. And everyone I met told me I have a good shot of becoming one of the finalists for the volunteer choosing. 

I felt even more confident when I saw my name next to three other senior girls: Clio, Titania and Elysia. 

When it was time for the ceremony itself, I was over the moon, Carmen was chosing the volunteer again: Before the games last year began, Carmen was Clarisse's mentor, and Clarisse made her promise to take care of me.

She has: she came to watch me train, let me stay with her on holidays, and before Jean Trojillio came for the victory tour, Carmen was trying to get my father as far away from me as possible when we stood next to Clarisse's banner. 

I was pretty sure this also means getting me in the games so I can avenge her. 

After Athena's usual head trainer speech, she called on Carmen to read the female volunteer.

Carmen chose Cilo. 

Never in my life I was so angry, but I still sat quietly and obediently, and waited for the ceremony to end. 

When I reached my room I slashed at everything I owned (not much) in my room with Otrera until I was calm. "There's always next year, Sloane" Nyssa tried to comfort me. 

She is still trying for the past three months. 

Right now she's in the commune showers, she likes going as late as she can to avoid the rush, and I'm sitting here in our shared room, contemplating doing a big no-no. The biggest no-no in the centre. 

I am gonna volunteer tomorrow, regardless of Clio. 

I gotta be fast, say the words faster than Clio so she won't be able to do anything. Once someone says: "I volunteer", No one can challenge them. It's a non written rule. 

If I won't be fast, and Clio would still become the tribute for this year's games, I could be in big trouble: This could get me kicked out of the academy, I'll lose Carmen's protection...

I would have nothing. 

Nyssa returns, her hair still wet from the showers. "Seriously, are you still up?" 

"I couldn't sleep" I try to pass it off. 

Nyssa climbs into my bed. "I can make you feel tired" she plants a kiss on my collarbone, and continues down.. down...

"I don't know about tonight, Nys. I don't feel like it" I sigh. "A little lips one, then?" Even in the dark I can see her puppy expression. "Fine, a little lips one" I groan. She cups my face and gives me a quick little kiss before jumping to her bed- not a hard thing to do since our room is the size of a broom closet. It saves space. 

I can't define Nyssa and mine's relationship, we get intimate together when we need to relieve stress- we started doing this after the last kill tests last year. I don't know if I love her, but I love the idea of having her to help me control my emotions. 

She was there for me when we watched Clarisse fall down with that district 11 boy into an inferno. 

"I hope you're not thinking about doing something stupid tomorrow" even in the dark I can hear Nyssa warn. 

"I can't promise anything, Nys" 

"I'm serious, Sloane, good night" 

"Yeah.. good night"

*****

The next morning I play along like a good cadet, eat my breakfast with Nyssa and our shared friends Jeremy and Charlie. 

I glare at Cilo, who sits in seniors table in the middle. Surrounded by junior admirers and seniors that barely manage to hide their jealousy. Next to her sits Colins Core, the male volunteer for this years games. He's clearly not used to all of this attention, and looks like he wishes to get rid of all the phoney people. 

I don't know how well he's gonna do in the Capitol. 

After breakfast, we're allowed three hours of free roaming in the Main area city. But at mid noon sharp, everyone have to be accounted back at the centre. 

"Are you coming? The Main Area shipping center has these training gloves I've been dying to try off!" Nyssa laces her boots and is ready to open the door to leave. 

"I'll run and meet you there" 

Nyssa doesn't argue, she leaves and closes the door behind her. 

I pull out Otrera from under the bed and run my finger on the non sharp edges of it. Clarisse nicked it from a back garage behind the centre's offical weapon making forge. I carried it ever since, no one cared. 

If I'm gonna volunteer, I can't take the short sword as my token, it's a weapon- which is not allowed- and besides, I have my bead necklace already. 

I have to let it go. 

I hide it under Nyssa's bed. Hopefully she could give it to me back when I return victorious.

*****

After spending the rest of my time with Nyssa, Jeremy and Charlie, I return to the centre with everyone else. We all get 45 minutes to get ready for the reaping, and then we leave.

I wash up the best that I can with all the girls in line for the shower. (The phrase: "get out of the shower already or I'll fucking end you" was uttered at least 15 times in various forms by the 30 angry girls in our section, including me) and wear the best dress I have- Nyssa got it for me last year because "the sister of our future victor needs something new to wear so she can look awesome!". 

At last, everyone is ready to leave, we begin the agonizing journey on buses to the justice square; where some parents are already waiting. 

Our escort Benita Volante is already in her place, red curly wig and all. Her dress is once again floor length, but very transparent. As if she "doesn't notice" that 80% of her body is still exposed. 

Our ten victors are also seated in their assigned seats. From Brutus, who's pretty damn ancient, to Carmen de Silva, who scans the crowd with her proudest mask, sitting as far as she can from her ex boyfriend and victor the year before her, Kennedy.

Is she looking for me?

All conversations die down when Mayor Jameson reads the treaty of treason and all of our 20 victors. Benita grabs the microphone and I get ready for my one chance. 

"As usual, ladies first!" Benita calls. "Reini Chase"

Not a second after she calls, I scream. "I volunteer!" 

Every head in the girls crowd turns to me. Cilo hasn't even opened her mouth yet. 

I push past the girls and make my way to the stage with as much confidence I can master. _You thought, bitches._

I reach the every happy Benita. "Your name, dearest?" 

"Sloane Berkley" 

"Well. Give it up for her!" Benita claps. The adults who aren't trainers and have no idea, immediately clap, the hesitant teens and 12 year olds clap as well. 

I locate Clio in the last row: her face as red as a tomato, if looks could kill- well, we'd both be lying dead now. 

Benita pulls out a boy's name and Collins volunteers without a problem. 

"Wonderful! Have a happy hunger games, and my the odds be ever in your favor" I shake Collins' hand, instead of confusion or anger, all I see is a genuine smile on his face.

*****

"Why, the fuck, would you do a thing like that?!" Nyssa stroms the goodbye room, ignoring the peacekeepers.

"Because I was the one who was supposed to be picked. You know that, I know that, Carmen knows that. She'll realize she made the wrong choice when I come back with a crown on my head". 

"You are impossible sometimes, Sloane! Do you have any idea what will happen to me?!" Nyssa's voice shakes.

"Hey, nothing will happen to you! You had no idea I was planning that." I chuckle. 

"You're maybe right. Besides, everyone thought your sister would come back and she didn't! What makes you so sure you would?" 

"I'll kill the Elevens as early as I can. Get rid of the hard competition early, and that would also be my revenge" I scoff. "You don't think I can do this?!" 

"I do, Sloane. But being cocky sometimes gets you killed. You know that better than anyone. Promise me you'll be careful" 

I hold her tightly. Planting a kiss on her cheek. "I promise" 

As we got on the train, Carmen was angry to say the least. She closed herself off in her room, and Anastasia McMillan, who came to collect sponsers with Carmen and Kennedy, only sighed. 

"Give her some time. She's already mad enough that Kennedy is mentoring with her. You just added insult to injury" 

"I'm not sorry for what I did" I stare her down.

"I'm sure you aren't, but Carmen wanted to save you for next year. Can't your vendetta wait twelve more months?" Anastasia leans back. 

"No" 

"Understandable. Just give Carmen until after the opening ceremony, I'll help her calm down. She is just scared to break the promise she made your sister" Anastasia winks and goes to confront Carmen.

"For what it's worth, I like you better than Clio" Collins leans against the glass windows of the train. It's the first time I heard him talk, ever.

"Really? Why?" 

"You have a motive. A motive that isn't glory. I like that. And when the pack breaks, I'd be more than happy to help you complete your revenge plan" 

"Good" I shake his hand.

* * *

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th hunger games, mentor to ???**

Today would've been my last reaping. 

Today wouldve been my last reaping if I hadn't been reaped last year, if I hadn't won. 

I'm still getting used to that. To say I'm the victor of the 110th hunger games. The _record breaking_ 110th games. I survived One month inside my arena. 

Dad makes the usual omlette he used to make every reaping, Mrs Herya adds pancakes. "It's been such a long time since I was able to afford making these.." she sets the plate down. 

"I'm sure they are still gonna be delicious, Brianne" dad comments. 

"Is Kala still coming with us this year?" I ask. Kala is the victor of the 66th games, and was the resident mentor from even before my father was born. 

"No, Kala stays here in case our tributes reach the final 8." Dad notes. "She's been doing this for so long, she deserves a break, don't you think?" 

"Sure, of course"

That means I'm all alone when it comes to mentoring some unlucky girl. 

"Are you planning on going to the field today?" Asks Mrs Hery- _Brianne, I gotta remember that-_ "I don't know. I think I'll just stay in and practice until I have to get ready for the reaping- Clymene sent me some appropriate outfit choices." 

Brianne looks disappointed. "Oh. Alright" 

*****

The dress I ended up going with is the most simple one, and I know Clymene will start yelling as soon I we get to the Capitol. 

The back is exposed, and the dress is pretty short and is in a nice shade of blue, like the night sky in summer. But it's not a neon color like Clymene says is "in" this year. 

There's a car coming to pick us up for the justice square, there's always a car; but this time, I'm going down with dad behind the justice building where Giorno usually awaits. 

"Jean, darling, you look wonderful. Simplicity suits you, I don't care what Clymene says" 

"Thank you, Giorno." I smile. 

We wait inside the justice building for what seems like 20 minutes when Giorno stands up and three peacekeepers come to take us to our seats. "Showtime!" Giorno laughs. 

We follow the peacekeepers to the three seats assigned to us by the stage, I take my place on the furthest left chair, my dad sits in the middle and takes my hand. 

I finally get to take a look at the square from above: at the huge lines of boys and girls forming together, at the adults settling in behind the rope. 

At the faces of at least a hundred and fifty new twelve year old tributes. 

I inhale sharply. _that's too many. Too many kids whose name is in the bowl more then the needed one slip._

"Its gonna be okay" dad whispers. "You're gonna be fine"

"Welcome back to another exciting year!" Giorno laughs, our Mayor reads the treaty of treason and adds my name to the list of victors. After the usual movie plays, Giorno goes to the microphone again. "As usual, ladies first" he puts his hand in the bowl, about to doom some poor girl into certain death. 

"Charlotte Blackwood" 

A girl from the second to last row drags her feet to the stage, she one of the few white elite merchants kids, as she mounts the stage I am reminded that the odds are never in your favor- no matter if you're rich or poor. 

"And now, for the boys!" Giorno sends a hand into the other bowl. "Finn Delwere" 

A boy from the 14 year old row walks on stage, hesitant. 

"Now. Happy hunger games, and my the odds be ever in your favor" the two tributes shake hands and the ceremony ends. 

*****

"I'll wait for you" Brianne kisses my dad on the lips softly and strokes my cheek. "I'll keep the house clean when I can. Be back safe!" She then leaves us at the train station alone. Waiting for our tributes to finish saying their goodbyes. 

"Do you know Charlotte?" Dad asks. 

"No. She's too classes bellow me, dad" 

"It doesn't mean you can't know her" dad crosses his arms. "Well, I don't. She's a merchent kid but they weren't my biggest fans when I was in school" 

Luckly for me, I finished school before I was reaped, I might've been one of the late kids in the class- turned 18 last November- but I got to finish before this victor mess. 

Five peacekeepers enter the train station with our tributes, Giorno leads them into the train car, and they both can't help themselves with all these riches. 

I remember how just last year, I laughed with Rainier about it. 

"Now, you'll meet the Trojillios! They will be your mentors this year, and I know they are gonna be great!" I hear Giorno say to them from behind the mentor car's door. "Here they come now"

We take it is our que to step out. I smile at Charlotte, dad nods at Finn. 

"Nice to meet you, Miss Trojillio" Charlotte presents her hand to shake. "Oh it's okay. Jean is fine. I hate all the offical proper shit" I chuckle. Giorno gasps. "Please refrain from swearing in front of the tributes, Jean" 

"Why? It's not like she's not familiar with this word" I scoff. 

This earned me a chuckle from Charlotte. Okay, good start.

"Come on, tell me what you can do. Inside there" I point her to the mentors car. 


	2. Opening Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tributes walk through the opening ceremony

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th hunger Games, mentor of Charlotte Blackwood**

"They are gonna be okay" dad promises as we watch Giorno lead Charlotte and Finn to the remake center. "We'll see them tonight" 

"What are we doing in the meantime?" 

"Start to mingle in the victor's lounge, there's a car waiting" dad leads me in the opposite direction to the remake center. 

The car stops in front of a two store building that is at least half a block long. The white smooth marble shines under the sun as dad leads me through the glass doors. 

"Welcome to the sponsers den" he gestures.

The first thing I notice about the place is the hundreds of Capitolites with their vibrant color hair and outfits, standing and talking or sitting with wine glasses and other liquid on leather couches. 

"Most of the other victors are hanging around here, I'll go find Lee to Formally introduce you two, okay?" Dad pats me on the shoulder. "Be right back" 

"Wait, don't-!" I call out. But he's already out of ear shot. 

"The older victors already masters in blending in, but they don't realize they basically ditch us newbies to fend for ourselves" someone behind me chuckles. 

I jump and turn around quickly. 

"Wow, Hey! I didn't mean to scare you. Sorry!" Medea Vaughn, victor of the 107th games, raised her hands in surrender. 

"Medea.. hey.. why- why are you even talking to me?" 

Medea frowned. "What do you mean why? Can't I go around and be friendly towards the newest victor? I was at your position three years ago.." 

"But.. you're a career victor" 

"And? That means nothing once you're out, Carmen's best victor friend is from district 8" 

I can't seem to hide my suprise. "At least come with me to the snack table. Your dad might be there" Medea grabs my hand and I yank it and take a step back. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, If that made you uncomfortable-" 

"No.. it's just...Back in Eleven holding hands like that is usually a sign that you two are together. It's especially weird if you are two girls.." I don't know where I'm going with this explanation, but Medea seems to understand.

"It's okay. We just do things differently in Four.. I'll note it to myself. Come, I'll show you the snack bar" She signals me to follow her. 

The snack bar was actually a huge buffet table, with tiny appetizers I've never seen before. Medea grabbed one and just popped it into her mouth. "It's shrimp. Made in my district" she says in response to my confused expression. "Try one!" 

I hesitantly take one from the bowl, the shrimp crunches and melts leaving a taste of salt water in my mouth. "Its.. new. And pretty good too" I bite my lip. 

"Well I guess you'll have to get used to it. Capitolites _love_ serving it in here and in their parties. Here, I see your dad!" Medea once again signals me to follow her. My dad leans against the table, taking to a tall man with curly brown hair that I believe is Grover Lee. 

"James, it's irresponsible to leave your new victor on her own! Especially when it's your own daughter" Medea crosses her arms 

Dad turns around. "You're right. I'm sorry, Jeanie. I did however, find Grover." He gestures towards the other man. Grover Lee looks both different and the same guy from what I saw on the rerun dad showed me back when I was 11. He also changed very much since he appeared on TV as Scarlett Malone's mentor thirteen years ago. 

"Nice to meet you" he has a nice baritone voice. "Likewise" I reply. 

"We have about three hours before opening ceremony, I can show you around if you'd like" Medea stands a bit awkwardly, as if she's hoping I'd agree.

"Sure. I don't know any other victor, and dad is clearly busy with his friend" I shurg.

She takes me to a tour of her favorite spots in the city. That ends with The Oasis. An actual park with real, non modified trees. "I get the name is kind of.. triggering. But I hope you can enjoy the place still" Says Medea. 

"It's really beautiful" I smile, feeling the actual grass beneath my feet. In this concrete jungle, this feels like an escape spot. "I like it here" 

"The best part, almost no Capitolites come here. They find this place.. "boring" but the victors like it, so the president decided to keep it." Medea fidgets with a purple flower she picked from one of the bushes

"I can see why. We all feel trapped in this concrete vibrant color mess" I chuckle 

Medea throws her head back and laughs. "You're definitely right. I am so glad Elenia changed the rules and disbanded the prostitution circle. I wouldn't have survived having to come here every month" 

I don't answer, I remember what my dad told me about the old days, Medea is definitely _good_ looking: with those light blue eyes.. like the holographic number back in the arena.. the way the sun illuminates her dark brown hair and nice tan.. 

I got carried away.

"Oh no! I forgot your father was a part of the circle. I'm really sorry" she sat up.

"It's okay. He's in a good place now.. I'm glad it was disbanded too. I can't believe how awful some victors had it" 

"We should, um- we should go back" Medea stands up and starts pulling grass and leaves from her dress. "We gotta start mingling with the sponsers as early as the opening ceremony. C'mon!" She runs quickly for the next taxi stop, and leads me back into the victors lounge. 

I only noticed it now, but the sponsers den has a huge screen that takes at least half the easten wall. Now the screen came to life. "I gotta go find Achilles, but here's your dad!" Medea yells over the loud conversations and points me to where my dad stood with Grover Lee and Katniss Everdeen. 

"Ah, Jeanie. How was your tour with Medea?" Dad asks. "It was alright. She really seems to care and she's pretty sweet" 

"Not the "career bitch" anymore, huh?" He laughs. 

"I was 14 and in mourning, dad! You can't blame me" I feel my face burning. 

The unpleasant memory of Medea letting my best friend Hailey fall over the side of a mountain fills my mind. _she's just playing you._ Whispers a voice. _There's no way she really wants to befriend you, and you gotta stop finding her hot._

"Oh, the ceremony is about to begin". Dad's voice pulls me back into the ground. I hug myself tightly and watch as Yelene Ackerman wishes everyone another happy year.

* * *

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games.**

"This costume is ridiculous" mumbles Collins as we wait for our que to get on the chariot. 

"I kind of like it" I shrug. 

The costume was an imitation of greek togas, complete with armor plates and golden laurel crowns on our heads. I smile a little, the costume really makes me feel like Otrera herself, all I am missing is my short sword.

 _You would've loved to see me like this._ I think about Clarisse laughing at me from wherever she was now.

"Tributes, please take your places in your chariots" a robotic voice gives the que to board and I immediately jump into the golden chariot, golden high heeled sandals and all. 

The district 1 pair in front of us can't stop arguing, now the girl- I don't even know her name- pushes the boy as further away from her as she could before their chariot started rolling. 

Collins and I simply enjoyed the attention, I cought a pink rose thrown my way and sent a wink towards whoever send it. Maybe in Two people are furious over my decision. But here? They don't care, they love me regardless, they are rooting for me. 

We stop in a semicircle in front of president Elenia Snow. Her voice soars clear and heard as she wishes us good luck, she has the same regal commanding presence as Athena back in the centre, the kind that makes you want to stop and listen to this strong woman, to head her every command. 

I dare to sneak a peek towards my revenge targets from district 11. The girl is around my age, maybe 16, she's pale and nervous and not like Jean Trojillio at all, but the boy is practically a younger version of the boy responsible for my sister's death.

He's 14, so I'll be quick with him, but her? With her, I'll take my time. 

"You're staring" Collins whispers in my ear as the chariots do one last circle around the square. 

"I'm planning"

"Call it whatever you like, It's creepy. You'll have time to plan in the arena" The chariot stop infront of the entrance to the tribute center. And I jump out of it as soon as I can, Anastasia and Kennedy wait for us by the elevators. "Where's Carmen?" I ask. 

"Probably with her district 8 boyfriend. Either that or she's still mad at you" Kennedy crosses his arms. 

"C'mon" Collins drags me to the elevator after the district 4 pair. 

"I'm Persephone Mikealson, that's Austin Chase" the district 4 girl introduces herself. "I'm Sloane, that's Collins. He's.. not much of a talker" I gesture towards Collins, who only nods in response. 

"See you both tomorrow!" Persephone waved at us when the elevator doors opened by the district 2 compound. 

Anastasia and Kennedy arrive a minute later. "Get yourselves out of these stupid costumes and shower, you might wanna go to sleep early" Kennedy claps at us before turning into the kitchen and coming back with a bottle of vodka. 

I don't argue with him, Anastasia shows me the tribute room and I lock the door and take off the kiton. 

This is the first time in ten years I didn't have to wait, or yell at anyone to stop hugging the shower. I let myself enjoy the moment when the hot soothing water washed away this day. 

I collapse on the bed with clean slik pajamas the Capitol provided when I hear a knock on my door. "Hey; Sloane" Carmen appeares in the doorway. 

"Hey, Carmen" 

"Since there's nothing I can do but accept the fact you are our volunteer, I figured we can talk, as soon as possible" she invites herself in and sits on my double bed.

"You're still mad I volunteered because you wanted to chose me for next year, I get it" I shrug.

"How'd you know?!" 

"Anastasia told me" 

"She must've also told you I'm mad about.. other things this year, didn't she?" 

"Like Kennedy mentoring with you?" 

"Yes, like Kennedy" Carmen sighs. 

I snuggle closer to where she sits. "Is it really that bad? You and Kennedy, you had 8 years to at least try to stop hating eachother. Why are you still at eachother's throat?" 

"Our relationship was doomed from the start, he was a shitty person who used me and I was too blind to see it at the beginning. It's only in my game year I realized what a shitty person he really was." Carmen looks out the half opened door, if I listen hard enough I can hear Kennedy laughing and drinking in the kitchen with Nero.

"And there's no way you two will ever go back to at least getting along?" I lean my chin in my hands. 

"No, I don't think so- how did we even get to talking about this? Listen, I came here to apologize. You made a choice and I can't stay mad at you forever. Im just trying to make sure you are safe and okay because that's your sister's last request" 

Her bringing up Clarisse felt like a punch through the gut. "I miss her" I mutter.

"I miss her too, she would've been a great victor" Carmen sighs. "But she wasn't, I'm gonna see to it that I _will_ be this year's victor. And I'll avenge her"

"A motive, purpose. That's great to have" Carmen chuckles. "It's what got me through my games" 

"So It'll get me through mine too" I swear. 


	3. Training day 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte and Sloane go through training. Jean and Charlotte bond

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games.**

I listen carefully to Cassia's speech. It's a district 2 thing, to know your place bellow commanders and trainiers. 

She and Athena could get along pretty well.

"Sorry, but you're without me this year" Esmeralda from district One pats me on the back and leaves. "Hey, wait a minute!" Persephone calls after her. "Why not?" 

"I'm not gonna be in the pack with _him_ " she points to her district partner, Elliot. 

"Ditto" he sneers in her direction. "I think I'll go off on my own too, no offense" Elliot dissapears into one of the survival skill stations. 

The rest of us stayed standing together, processing what just happened.

"So there's only four of us this year, so what?" Austin scoffs. "We can still take the cornucopia, and scare away the Ones too. Let's focus on getting a grip on what each of us can do, okay?" 

I immediately grab a short sword from the variety of blades, it's made in my district, and looks exactly the same as my _Otrera._

"Hey, I'm a swordfighter too!" Persephone grabs another, double edged bronze sword. "We can't really practice with eachother, but let's take turns with the trainer! That would be great" 

I don't argue and spend my time till lunch practicing with the sword trainer and watching Persephone train. Her moves are different than mine, I prefer to stab while she slashed at the trainer in a bit of a wild manner. "Damn, what do they teach you in district 4?" I chuckle. 

"To fight dirtier. The Capitol likes to treat us like side characters in a story, I wanna show them I can be more than that" Persephone wipes sweat from her brow, There's a glint in her sea green eyes that makes me smile.

I like this girl. 

At lunch, we share a table with Austin and Collins. "This is not good" Austin says in a low voice. "With the Ones out of the pack, we don't have any long range fighters. This can screw us up"

I glare at the Ones sitting as far away as they can from eachother, on their own. 

"Why? What do you fight with?" I ask Austin. "Daggers" he sighs. 

"We can agree to have Austin lead this pack, right?" Collins leaned back in his chair, this is the first suggestion he made since training began, and I can't help but agree. "Oh yes, definitely. You clearly are the one with the strategic skills" I chuckle. 

"That's wise boy for you. Always was the smart type" Persephone smirks. 

"Maybe we should recruit outliars this year, Like the Twelves? They can be surprisingly good at long range, remember Bree Cartwright?" I suggest. 

Austin sizes up the boy and girl from Twelve, I join him: the girl is thirteen and clearly bloodbath material, but the boy is about my age, and he's got a dangerous look in his eyes. 

"He can be a risk move, what's his name again?" I ask the group. 

"Jace Hawthorne- If I'm not wrong. He's the cousin of that one double legacy tribute from the last quell" says Persephone.

"The one who killed himself to save his boyfriend?" Intervened Collins.

"That's the one" 

"I don't think he'll want to join us. If he does it'll be to slaughter us in our sleep" I muse. 

"So he's a threat" concludes Persephone. 

"Yes. We gotta keep looking" says Austin just as the bell rings out to signal the end of lunch. "When you practice, try to keep an eye out for potential new allies" 

"Yes sir!" Persephone and I salute jokely.

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I don't like being in the same room with that girl from Two. The glares she sends me from time to time keep me at the edge of my seat. 

Every time she does that it's like she's saying: _just wait until the games, you bitch._

I gotta find myself a strong ally to help me, and I think Jace Hawthorne might be the one I'm looking for. 

I walk up to him in the trap making station, his fingers are quick and finish the advanced trap in lightning speed. "Yes?" He calls out, not even looking. 

"Do you see that girl from district 2?" I nudge in her direction. "Yeah, she was staring at me during lunch, probably thinking about wether she should kill or recruit me to her band of killers" he replies. 

"For some reason, she's dead set on killing me, in the worst way possible" 

"Isn't that what she's planning for all of us?" His eyebrows furrowed. 

"Well, she probably is, but I feel her hatred for me is personal" 

Jace shrugs. "Well, the last victor _is_ from your district. Maybe she's mad about that? You should ask your mentor" 

"It is a great idea. But it still doesn't solve my problem. You look like you are capable of defending yourself. I- I was wandering if you could be my ally" I stammer. 

"I know what's in it for you, but what's in it for me?" 

_Shit. What can I do?!_

"I noticed you are not the social type. That'll cost you sponsers. If last year taught me anything is that sponsers can be everything for you. Jean managed on sponsers alone" I try.

Jace considers the possibility. "I'll keep you around for the first three days- assuming you survive the bloodbath at all- see if you can pull anything." 

"Thank you, thank you you're a life saver! Literally!" I shake his hand vigorously. 

"Please don't make me regret this" he sighs. 

*****

At the end of the training day, I go up the elevator with Finn; who almost never talks. 

Jean is sitting on the lobby's armchair, reading a book. She jumps up when she sees us. "Dad, they are back!" 

"Yeah, we are"

"Did- did you have.. a, um good first training day?" She sets the book down and fidget with her necklace- the family token. 

"I did. And I think I've found an ally?" I announce. "Oh, really? Who is he?" She asks. 

"Jace Hawthorne. From Twelve" 

"Oh.. that's- that's great!" She looks to the dining room, probably where hee dad is. She's only one year older than me, she probably has no idea how to do this mentoring thing.

"I'll talk to Prim, she brought Katniss to mentor this year. Matthew is.. not a good choice to mentor this kid." James Trojillio calls out from the dining room. 

"So. How did you get him to ally with you?" Jean leads me into a corner while her father takes Finn to the dinning room. 

"I said I can help him get sponsers for both of us" 

"And how do you plan on achieving that?" Jean raises her eyebrows.

"A Romance angle" I announce.

Jean's face turn pale. "No, no that's a shitty idea!" "Why not?! It worked for Rainier and Tate last year! And 2 victors from district 12 used this technique to win!" 

Jean sits me down and sighs. "Look. Rainier and Tate.. they ended up actually in love with eachother. Tate's death was one of the hardest things Rainier went through. And look at how Katniss and Matthew turned out! Both of their lovers/district partners killed themselves. Plus, Jace doesn't need a reminder of his cousin's death." 

I never thought of it that way. He'll never agree to my idea. 

"I'll tell him tomorrow; if he calls it out, I'll just find someone new to ally with and continue to practice with a dagger." I stare down at my training shoes.

"Look" Jean drags herself closer to me. "As you can see, I suck at this. I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm not Kala." She runs her hand through her thick dark curls. "I can only tell you to try and make the most out of training. And tell you that unlikely allies are to be expected in the games. Look at me, I allied myself with two careers!" 

"Do you think he'll come through and stick with me regardless?" I bite my lip. 

"I have no fucking clue what he's gonna do. I'm just saying, focus on gaining skills in these training days. You can find allies in the arena itself." She pats me on the back and stands up. "I have to go"

"What, some victor business?" I smirk.

"Something like that. Medea Vaughn is gonna show me how to deal with sponsers. So I can get some for you" she smiles at me one last time and then leaves. 

Despite what she thinks, I don't think she sucks as a mentor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify: Jace is Posy Hawthorne's eldest son.


	4. Training day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medea gives Jean advice on dealing with Capitol folk as they try to talk things through. Charlotte confesses to Jace. Sloane and Austin recruit replacements for the Ones.

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th hunger games, mentor to Charlotte Blackwood**

"dad, I'm going out" 

He's always up since the early hours of dawn. Charlotte and Finn are still asleep. "Are you going out with Medea?" He sips from his coffee mug. 

"Well, um, yes. She wanted to take me to the sponsers den to show me how to get them" 

He stands up, confused. "Well, I thought I could be the one to show you that, tomorrow actually." 

I bite my lip. "She already suggested yesterday, no offense dad, but as a victor from the career districts, Capitolites listen to her and the tributes from her district last pretty long" 

The moment the words left my mouth I regretted them. "Oh shit, I'm sorry! This came out wrong, _really_ wrong. I-" 

"It's okay" he waved it off. "Just go, you have a point" 

I consider apologizing again, but the look in his eyes makes my heart sink and I drag myself to the elevator. I meet Medea outside of the tribute/training center. 

She looks pretty fancy for this early in the morning- a long, aquamarine colored long sleeve dress that seemed like a formal type of dress. Suddenly I feel very stupid in my leggings and cream sweater.

"Oh no, no _way_ you're going to see sponsers in _that._ " she crosses her arms. "You sound like Clymene" I groan. "Well, your stylist has a point. In this city, you wanna look as best as you can to get the Capitolites to like you: they don't wanna be seen with someone whose dressing style is deemed as "shit". Especially a victor. Do you have some of the dresses your stylist sent you?"

"Back in my room" I sigh. 

"I'll wait for you in my compound. Just take an outfit and press the 4 button. It's not hard" 

I go upstairs, dad is not in the lobby or the kitchen, but I hear voices from the dinning room- he probably called up Brianne on the hologram phone. 

I ended up picking a simple dress and shoes with a neon purple coat to match: the coat's shoulder patches were pretty sharp and big, and the sleeves were see through.

I don't know why they find it fashionable, but it'll do. 

I drag myself to the elevator again and hesitantly press the 4 button.

The compound looks similar to our own; except it has a blue color scheme to match with district 4's sea and fishing, perhaps. 

Medea waits in the lobby; where her tribute is doing push ups and warming up for the day. When she saw me, the district 4 girl stopped midway through a push up, to stare at me in a combination of confusion and possibly anger. 

Medea leads me to her room and closes the door. "Don't mind Persephone, she's not gonna do anything" 

I take out the chosen outfit in disgust. "Can you believe this is the color that is "trending" right now? And what's with the sharp shoulders pads?" 

"It's your stylist, recordbreaker" 

"What did you just call me?" I stop midway untying my shoes.

"Recordbreaker. It's your nickname here, I heard some Capitol people throw the name around." Medea sits on the edge of the bed- that looks exactly like mine 7 floors above. "It's like how your dad is "Gentle giant" and I'm "The sorceress". If a victor is memorable, they get a nickname, now take off those leggings"

"But.. you're here..."

"Go dress up in the bathroom if it'll make you more comfortable. But you don't have anything that I don't have" she winks.

I close the bathroom door behind me and after taking off the leggings, I struggled to put on the royal purple stockings. "Fuck" I mumble. "Need some help? It'll take us less time..." Medea calls out from behind the door.

"Just get in here and let's be done with it"

Ten minutes later I was ready, and I looked stupid. Medea even helped me put on makeup. "I look like a clown" I groan. 

"You look like what they want you to look; that's what's Important" Medea fixes her strange updo in the mirror.

"Why are you even helping me? This could all be some setup to publicly humiliate me. This is what this is for right?-" I begin.

Medea's eyes immediately widen: "oh hell no! I can swear on whatever you want me to. I am trying to help because that's the least I can do after killing your friend four years back! Ever since Tate died in your games I was rooting for you hoping to atone" 

_There's that paranoia, congratulations. You are a victor!_ Says a voice dripping with sarcasm and venom. 

"I'm sorry, Medea. For doubting you. I'm still not sure who I can trust here-"

"I get it" she throws the brush in the sink. "And I don't blame you for not trusting me. But I'm not Ophelia Sheridan. I'm not gonna double cross you or something."

_She is from Tate's district after all, the ex career boy who stuck by you, the one that warmed his way into your heart. Maybe you can let her become like a replacement to him._

"C'mon Jean, let's go"

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

"so, are you an archer too?" I ask Jace as we both work at the poisonous plant station.

"That was more of Rhys' thing. I know how to use a sword, but don't tell the others" his grey eyes are unreadable. 

"My lips are sealed. Promise" I remember my conversation with Jean yesterday.. and decide to rip the bandage. "Look, Jace.." I begin. "I had an idea in mind about getting sponsers but now I realize it's actually very disrespectful to you and to Rhys' memory."

He doesn't reply, I continue. "I understand if you don't wanna ally with me anymore because you think I can't contribute. I'm sorry for wanting to try a romace angle with you" 

For a minute, he only focuses on getting the answers on the memory puzzle correct, its clear he'll probably won't forgive me for this. I should go.

"I appreciate hoe you told me right away instead of suprising me at the arena." "But now you don't wanna ally with me because I'm useless, I get it" I turn to walk away. 

"No, actually. Your honesty made me realize I can trust you" 

"Really?" 

"Alliances bring the most sponsers for the first few days. I say we keep our deal. Two- three days together, we'll see how it goes"

Assuming Two girl- I recently learned her name is Sloane- won't kill me in the bloodbath first. 

"Thank you Jace! I promise we can make good with this alliance" I hug him; he seems suprised at first by this hug, but doesn't pull away.

* * *

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I glare at the Eleven girl hugging Jace Hawthorne. "This is probably not good" comments Austin. 

"No, it's not. Who the hell are we supposed to recruit now?" I bark.

"Might we suggest ourselves?" Says a voice behind me. 

Austin and I turn around at the same time. 

The boy from district 3 was the one who spoke, but his partner stood behind him, smiling. "From time to time, the pack lets us join. Yours could use two extra members." 

Justice is with him. "What can you do?" Austin asks, he doesn't sound too happy about letting them in. "The usual Three stuff: reignite the landmines, use them as weapons... I can also strangle someone with a cord if I'm really into it" replies the boy. "What do you say?"

"You want something in return, don't you?" Asks Austin. 

"Oh yeah, immunity, at least until the pack breaks. It's not gonna be like last year when the pack broke off so early, isn't it?"

"The pack officially broke on day 9. That's not early in comparison to a usual game year. It was early for the record breaking 110th games. They lasted 31 days" says Austin, once again unimpressed.

"Let me just talk with Austin here for a minute.." I tell the Threes. 

I drag him near the knife throwing targets. "They are literally asking to join. We can't turn them away, we need the six person advantage!" I hiss. "I don't think it will be the smartest move. This can all be a part of some plan they have" he replies. 

"We can always kill them early in their sleep if they show any signs of double crossing. For now, we could use the extra help." 

He sighs. "Fine, go tell them they are in. I'll go let Collins and Perse know" 

I return to the still waiting Threes. "You're in, but consider yourselves warned, we don't like double crossing, it'll cost you" 

"Understood" says Three boy. "I'm Leo" "and I'm Clara" says his district partner. "Sloane, I'll introduce you to the rest of the pack at lunch, see you there" 

*****

"I don't trust them" Carmen digs the knife into her steak with blatant force. 

"Neither do we, but we have no choice" Collins comments. "I'll talk to Laurie and Remus, but this is a risky move, Sloane. If they end up killing Collins or the Fours.." 

"Their blood is technically on my hands, I know" I sigh.

"All I'm saying is be careful" Carmen leans back. 

Across from her, Kennedy twists his face as he took another sip from his wine. 

"You're friends with Alexa Elle Sheridan, right? Whats the deal with the Ones this year?" I ask. "First of all, I despise Alexa" Carmen snorts. "second of all, I talked to Amethyst Wheeler about it: Esmeralda believes Eliot was the reason her brother died, Eliot hates Esmeralda because according to him, she humiliated him in front of the academy or whatever. It's honestly A question of who will kill who when the games begin." 

"But.. they are district partners, you don't kill your district partner unless you reach the finale together" says Collins. 

"I don't think these two care" Carmen shrugs. 


	5. Scores and interviews

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte and Sloane go through the interview. Jean talks with Charlotte one last time before the arena.

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I got a 10, how do I feel about that?

Since Collins, Esmeralda and Austin received the same score, I should be furious, right? But I'm not. I should be furious about Persephone scoring higher than us (scored an _11_ ). But I'm not.

The only thing that gets me absolutely fucking mad is the fact Jace Hawthorne is also, matched with my score. 

That damn Eleven girl got a 5, which can only mean good things and that she's mine to break. But since she's probably allied herself with Jace Hawthorne, that would be hard to get her alone. 

Clara and Leo scored an 8 and a 9 respectively. Eliot also scored a 9, which puts Esmeralda as my ideal winner of a fight between them. 

"Come on, Berkley! We gotta get you ready for the interview!" Carmen yells out from outside my room. "I'm coming!" I yell back, put on shoes and close the door behind me.

Speaking in public, how do I feel about that? Like shit. I hate speaking in public, I had no problems taking with the crew who came to film me for Clarisse's final 8 interview, but a studio full of people? With the whole nation watching?

I don't know if I can do this.

 _Get over those things!_ a voice inside me yells. _This is just the last stop before the games begin, before you can inact your revenge! Move past it like you moved pass all the stations._

Carmen stares at my clearly nervous ass and sighs. "You know, Sloane. We usually announce the volunteer three months earlier so we can prepare them on what to say and do when there's a camera around, but I guess these training sessions were wasted on Clio, huh?" 

She clearly still has some type of resentment to me for volunteering out of turn, doesn't she?

I don't answer and instead follow Collins to the elevator. 

Thankfully, our stylist, Honora, designed me a scarlet red suit to wear for the interview instead. While Collins wears all black. "You'd just look better in a suit, like a true winner and competitor!" Honora blows me a kiss before she starts working through the task that is my curly long hair. 

Anastasia's expression changes at the sight of me walking out of the dressing room. She suddenly looks pretty sad. "You looked like Enobaria for a second there" Carmen whispers in my ear. 

Enobaria Dominiquez died two years ago on a hiking accident, she was probably very close with Anastasia and Carmen. I look to the floor, biting my lip hard, I hope to just get over with the whole thing. 

"Come on. We got a car waiting for us" 

The studio is an impressive building: a giant marble artwork that lights up like the fireworks on New years eve back home. Our car takes a turn to a side ally where I guess all the important people that preform on TV turn in. 

I catch a glimpse of the swarm of Capitol folk standing infront of the main entrance as a peacekeeper checks for invitations. This is our audience, the people lucky enough to watch us Live. 

These are the ones I need to fully impress. 

Avoxes lead Collins and I through a maze of sound and lightning equipment. Some pairs of tributes are already there, including Charlotte Blackwood, her district partner, as well as Jace Hawthorne and his partner, whose name I didn't bother to learn.

I simply glare at them before Collins pulled me with him to the beginning of the line. "Stop fixating on them. You'll lose focus and that could get you killed. Tomorrow, don't go for her right away" he hisses. 

"I intend to let her die as slowly as I can" I hiss back. "And I want this to be early" 

"Not bloodbath early. You need your strength to take out fodder" he replies. 

Before I manage to continue this conversation, the stage above us lights up and the anthem blaring drowns every other sound:

It's show time.

Yelene Ackerman's color this year is emerald Green, She does her usual opening speech. (she _needs_ to spice it up, C'mon)

Esmeralda goes first, her sickly sweet voice hiding a dangerous, vicious young woman. She wasn't ashamed on filling us on the details of why she split from the pack. 

Elliot is a bit more subtle, but he also boasts himself up, explaining his reasons and sending glares towards where Esmeralda had just gone. 

_oh shit,_ I think when the gong signaling Elliot's three minute mark rings. _my turn._

Yelene introduces me and I walk up on stage to the sound of the hyped up crowd, I should be glad to still have their attention as a career with a decent score. 

"Sloane Berkley! Isn't she fierce?" Yelene greets and I wave a bit awkwardly to the crowd. _get a hold of yourself!_ A voice that sound suspiciously like Clarisse's yells inside my mind. 

"So, Sloane. You seemed eager enough to volunteer, your escort Benita barely finished saying a name!" 

I can't expose how I wasn't supposed to volunteer, instead I tell her the truth: "It's been a passion of mine to get into this year's games, after last year's _almsot_ victory." 

Yelene looks deep in thought. "You do seem a bit familiar, we saw the exact same look on last years contender, didn't we? What was her name?" 

"Clarisse, Clarisse St Mark" I choke. 

Yelene looks a bit satisfied, like this was all a way to lure me into some trap. "Were you two close?" 

"She's my sister. Father's side" I blurt. 

"And, tell me, why volunteer the year after your own half sister?"

I send a wicked grin towards the expecting crowd. "Why. To finish what Clarisse started, of course. She came so close... if it wasn't for those Elevens she woulve been home. So I intend to win for her, and maybe make the Elevens this year die in the most horrible way i can" 

The look on Jean Trojillio's face where she sits in the third row is priceless.

My three minutes are over.

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

**"** That crazy career girl is gonna torture me to death!" 

Jean shuts the door behind me, he face is as equally as pale as mine, and I remember this is her first year, she is just as clueless as me. 

"Dont forget You have Jace, you went over a plan, right? All you have to do is make it out alive from the initial bloodbath" says Jean in an attempt to calm- probably both of us- down. 

"What was your secret?" I ask.

"Run fast, don't look back, don't die" 

"I can promise you two of these things" 

"Come with me" she stands up. "I have a better spot you can spend your last night at the Capitol in". She leads me up to the roof, where the famous rose garden stands. She basically pushes me into one of the bushes and I realize why: inside, the bush is hollow, it even has an armchair to sit in. 

I sit in the chair as Jean takes a spot on the grass. "This is a nice hiding spot you got there" I chuckle. "It's my dad's actually. He made it, Thought I need to show it to my tribute at least once" 

"I'm scared" I blurt out.

Jean meets my eyes, her dark eyes seem luminescent in the little light there is here, and I realize it's because she's crying. "I'm scared too" she whispers. "I want to save you, but at the same time I spent this week wondering lost and anxious and those nightmares... I don't wish it on anybody" 

I furrow my eyebrows, Confused. "But.. you're supposed to be happy as a victor, you get to live happily rich and famous! Wanting for nothing!" 

"My experiences in the arena don't stay there, they follow me every night, I did shit, horrible shit I will never forgive myself for. The only joy in winning is to live" She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. "And I want you to live" 

"I want to live too" I feel the tears coming out as well. "I wanna see my sister and mother and father again, I don't wanna go, not yet" 

"I'll do whatever it takes to get you home. I want you to remember that" Jean takes my hand, than stands up and hugs me. 

"I will. Thank you Jean" 

"I'm sorry you had that unfortunate luck"

I shrug. "Better me than my sister" 

"Tell me about her?" Jean asks. "Well, Nina is a bit of a dreamer- it makes sense, she's just 12.. but, she's still so optimistic and pure. I can't understand her sometimes" I sigh. "When you live in Eleven you see the injustice every day. Your innocence is gone pretty early" 

"Rich girls like us had it better than most" Jean looks away. 

I nod. "I'm glad I was the one of our family to be picked, these games, this city.. It would've teared Nina's innocence and optimism away. Maybe make her a monster.. better me than her"

"If I had a sister. I would've done whatever I could so she wouldn't know the games in her life"

I meet her gaze and swallow hard: this request is gonna be hard to ask.. 

"Jean, in case I don't make it back..."

"You want me to take care of Nina. I understand" Jean nods. "I will, whatever I can" 

I don't have the strength to thank her, but she doesnt need the thanking. "We are gonna make sure I won't have to keep this promise. Now, go over your plan to meet up with Jace, okay?" 

I don't know how much time we spent reviewing the best avoiding strategy, but at some point, Jean helped me to my bed. "Goodnight" her smile had a hint of sadness inside it. 

"Goodnight"

I turned many times in my bed, itching to fall asleep yet refusing to, Sleeping means accepting tomorrow has to come, and I spent a good portion of the night wishing this day would never come. 

Tommorow, it's life or death. 


	6. Day 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James introduces Jean to the mentors room.  
> In the arena, Charlotte tries to find Jace.

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th hunger games, mentor to Charlotte Blackwood**

"Are you ready?" Dad pauses with his hand on the handle of the entrance door. 

_No._ "Yes" I answer. 

He opens the door to the room I've been dreading from all year, a door to the room I'll be forced to spend every summer in as of this year. 

I take a deep breath and enter the damn Mentors room. 

The room is pretty narrow, I know above us used to be the gamemakers, but after the massacre of 91 ADD, their location has been moved, no victor can know about it. There are Twelve booths lined up in two lines: 1-6 and 7-12. If I stand up, I can see Medea and the career crew in the line in front of ours. 

Medea waves to me. 

"C'mon, Jeanie, let's find the seats" dad leads me to my place next to the Eleven console: Two wide screens, and next to them, a hologram of the body, as well as Charlotte's stats, for health, hunger and body temperature. 

I check in the seats. "Pretty comfortable, are they?" I lock eyes with Katniss Everdeen behind the transparent wall separating us from the Twelves console. 

"I can't believe you're mentoring Jace. Aren't you two related or something?" 

She sighs. "He's related to my sister through marrige, but not to me. Even though he's my best friend's nephew" from her spot next to Katniss, Prim says nothing. Katniss continues: "I knew it would've been an insult to Rhys' memory to have Matthew as his mentor, Rhys and Jace were pretty close, he taught Jace everything he knew" 

I can't possibly imagine a family going through the games again, and again, and again, and again. The universe (well, the Capitol) really has a knack for the Hawthorne-Everdeen family. 

"I still remember my first year in this room" dad leans back in his chair. "It was the 93rd games, you were still in your mother's belly, Kala had to show me what to press but initially our tributes lasted till Night One. So we didn't have much to do. You were the first time I had to really push my way in this mentoring thing." Dad takes my hand. "We're doing this together"

The screen lights up, showing Charlotte pulled up in her tube. I can't read her face as she raises her hand to block the sun from her eyes.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the One hundred and Eleventh games begin!" From an unknown location, Lidius gives the opening shot for the 60 seconds clock to begin. 

I get my first good look at Charlotte's arena. 

The cornucopia was stationed on a little island of sand surrounded by a wide trench filled with water that were -at best- 2 feet deep. Some of the equipment was floating in the water in waterproof bags. The real sweet deal was the weapons in the cornucopia's mouth, Sloane Berkley and her career friends were already eyeing them in anticipation. 

Theres a big screen on the wall that shows the camera panning out so people could see the arena- The Main feed. 

The arena itself was a collection of Islands separated by water of unknown depth, some islands were as small as a house in the poorest part of Eleven, but one was gigantic enough to contain a big forest. 

This island can hide Charlotte and Jace well, but it'll also be the first place the careers would go hunting in. 

The countdown clock on the Main feed shows 20 seconds left. I feel my nails dig into my palm, I'm not there physically anymore, but I still feel my heartbeat fasten, my nerves fidgeting, that uncertainty wether I'll live or not..

 _I'm not there anymore, I'm safe in some room with dad by my side._ I remind myself. 

Five seconds left, seven plates to Charlotte's left stands Esmeralda from One, she takes off her boot- the tributes got to wear knee length cream pants and black tanktops and I can only assume the gamemakers wanna make it as hot as possible. 

Without warning, Esmeralda chucks the boot across Charlotte's eyesight three pedstals to Charlotte's right, where Eliot, the boy from One, stood. The boot hit his left cheek and was enough to knock him of the pedestal.

Two seconds to spare, the explosion shakes the arena. 

Right next to Eliot stood the Seven boy and the Five girl, who got soaked with his blood and matter, the blood spattered far enough to hit Charlotte's face and right arm. No one made a sound, Charlotte simply stood there with her eyes closed when the gong hit.

_don't dwell on it, Run!_

The explosion shook everyone, even the other careers. The gong brings them out of their frozen state and Sloane runs faster than all of them, reaching the mouth first and grabbing a short sword hung on the wall. 

Charlotte runs off the cornucopia island in five steps before she reaches the water, not looking back, not taking anything. 

She's halfway through floating to the next island when she hears a scream and turns around, next to me, dad gasps, I look up at the main feed:

Sloane's short sword pierced through Finn's back, the girl from Two doesnt pull the sword out right away, she stayed in the moment for a second more, her dark eyes glimmering with a wicked spark. Sloane locks eyes with Charlotte and I expect her to make a run for her second revenge target..

Instead, Sloane pulls the sword out of Finns body and turns around to see other potential targets. 

The confused Charlotte continues in her swimming- _she can swim? How?_

Next to us, Prim stands up. "I'm going back to the compound" she announced, her girl was speared in the back by Sloane's district partner. Katniss remained still, meaning Jace also survived the bloodbath. 

My heart sinks when I realize what it means.

Dad stands up too. His face filled with worry. "I'm sorry, Jeanie. But I'm obligated to leave; it's one mentor per living tribute and until you get tired tonight or tomorrow, I cant help you here but I can raise some sponsers for Charlotte"

"Wait; dad, don't leave me here alone! I have no idea how this console works!"

"It's the rule, we can change shifts tonight but until then you're on your own" he hugs me. "I know I said we'll do it together, and we will. But for now, use Katniss to guide you, the wall between you should fall as soon as Charlotte reunites with Jace." 

I take a deep breath. "Okay, get us the sponsers" I pick up the tablet that shows my sponsers account: some people I don't know are listed in the "potential" tab, and the account has 15,000 starting funds for everyone- which is enough to get Charlotte a basket of bread or a knife- and considering she left the cornucopia with nothing, she's gonna need both.

"What do I pick?!" I ask Katniss frantically just when Charlotte crushes on the nearest island- filled with bushes tall enough to hide her in. "Save the money at least for tonight, Jace got a pack. All your girl needs to do is to find him" she replies.

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I count ten canons as the sun slowly crossed the sky, moving closer towards the west, signaling the afternoon. 

Earlier, I risked myself by going out to drink some of the water surrounding me- saltwater, but still drinkable when you have no other options, and also to wash off the now dry blood off my face and arm. 

_That was a dirty cheap move. What that district one girl did._

I try to remember how we were poitioned, so I can determine which way Jace went: I was relatively close to the right edge of the cornucopia, with Eliot three pedestals to my right, and two pedestals separated him from the far right pedestal- the one Sloane was positioned on. 

Next to me were the girl from Three- who joined the careers- and the boy from Eight, who I'm pretty sure was fodder. Esmeralda was seven plates to my left, and Jace was...

Right next to her. Meaning he probably ran left.

I look past the bushes to look for the far little islands on the left side of the cornucopia, it's very likely he swam there, but how can I cross infront of the cornucopia without the careers seeing me? Even if Sloane _Couldn't swim_ , that district 4 girl can- and probably will- drag me to shore so Sloane can torture me slowly. 

I decide to wait till nightfall, if I'm silent enough, and the careers would be busy watching the fallen, I can swim across without being heard. 

I can hear far laughter from the cornucopia island, which means the careers are probably distracted right now, I better start. 

The only good thing that came out of me not grabbing anything was that I had no bag to slow me down. 

I dive under the water, drowning out the noises and keeping my movements underwater so their sound wouldn't be heard. I rise for air as quietly as I can when the anthem starts blaring.

I speed out my movements, still keeping myself as low as I can, I gotta get past the cornucopia island before the anthem is over. _Faster, Faster!_

I speed past the island and stop five feet away from the shore of my destination. I turn to the projector in the sky just in time to catch Finn's picture and Jace's partner's picture. 

They were only 14, both of them. 

The horrid memory of Sloane's sword piercing through Finn floats up in my mind. _She wanted you to see that._ Jean says in my head. _She's trying to emotionally break you, you have to not give her the satisfaction!_

Right, I gotta focus and find Jace. 

I swim the last few feet to the shore and crash on the white sand, exhausted. I know it's dangerous, but I close my eyes as sleep washes over me. 

When I wake up, it's still dark outside. How long was I asleep? I get up and move through the pine tree forest that covered most of the island. "Jace? Jace, are you here?" I call out. 

A hand closes around my mouth, someone drags me to a pile of pine needles and ducks my head. I tru to struggle and end up kicking air. "Are you dumb?! We aren't the only tributes around!" Jace hisses close to my ear and takes off his hand. 

"Holy _shit_ Jace! You scared the fuck out of me" I whisper back. 

"If I knew you would be this dumb I wouldn't have agreed to ally with you" he sighs. "But nevermind, good for you for surviving Miss Vendetta out there" 

"The weird thing was, she never once came after me, she killed Finn without blinking but let me go. Why?" 

Jace thinks for a second. "Maybe she wants to make it a cat and mouse game, like how that district 2 girl was with the 9 boy last year. People liked to watch them chase eachother" 

I think about what Sloane said in her interview, about how Clarisse from last year was her half sister. It's very much possible that this is the root of all her vendetta feelings. 

"Apparently they were sisters. Killing me would be taking revenge on Jean. Maybe she wants to make my death as late and as long as she can. Just to torment Jean"

"I won't let that happen. I swear" Jace raises his pinky finger. "No one deserves to get tortured to death by a crazy bitch" he opens his pack- he got a pack!- that contains a big full water bottle, canned corn and more.

"I'll drink to that" I take a sip of his bottle. 


	7. Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two days pass, Sloane and Persephone try to track Charlotte on the forest island. Medea and James try to get Jean to take a break while Charlotte and Jace open up to eachother.

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Tribute for the 111th hunger games**

"This is _infuriating_ " I kick the sand around the shallow trench that separates the cornucopia from the pedestals, the ones Clara and Leo are currently working on reactivating. 

"I know it's annoying how our hunts bring no results, but I thought you agreed to let Blackwood slide for a few days" Austin is in the middle of drawing a map of the known arena in the sand. "We are surrounded by islands big and small and yesterday we only checked one. I propose we split into groups" 

I exchange a look with Collins. "Austin, are you sure-" 

"He knows what he's doing, that's why he's our leader" Persephone interrupts. I can't argue with Austin's mad intelligence and strategy skills. 

"Sloane, go with Persephone, Collins will take Clara and I'll stay here with Leo to work on the landmines. Be on the lookout for Esmeralda, we don't know how dangerous she can be after completing her mission of killing Elliot" 

Besides Collins, Persephone is my ideal partner. We each take a small pack for today and begin the agonizing journey of swimming. "I think in that big ass forest island we'll find some hiding tributes" Persephone suggests. I clench my teeth: "Fine"

I'm not much of a swimmer. Sure, we're taught the basics at the academy but I never bothered to really move on with that. I push myself forward, following Persephone's trail. The girl practically _flew_ through the water, like some kind of fast sea creature. 

This arena is where Persephone and Austin can dominate, it's their kind of turf. I gotta learn to bland into it or I'll never make it out. 

Finally, I reach the shore, breathing heavily. Persephone waits for me with a towel in hand. "How come they never teach you guys to swim correctly" 

"They do" I pant. "In an indoor pool, not fucking saltwater!". She throws me the towel. "How are you so good?! Better than Austin yesterday, better than last year's guys.."

"I spent whatever time I could in the ocean. My town, Sedona, produced two victors already, and they taught me well. Said I was touched by Poseidon himself." She stares at the far rippling of the water. 

"Obviously you're good. You lived your whole life in saltwaters" I throw the bag over my shoulder. "Let's start looking".

We start hiking through the forest, barely making a sound, swords already drawn, just in case. I focus my hearing to try and listen to the tiniest mistake an outliar tribute can make. 

A twig breaks not so far away, and someone immediately starts bolting. _wrong choice._ Persephone maybe knows how to swim like a freaking shark, but I can ran as fast as a cheeta and for as long as it takes. With Persephone distantly on my trail I catch up to the target immediately and tackle her to the ground:

She's got bland dark hair and brown eyes, but she's not the girl I'm looking for. I don't even remember this ones district. "It was a nice try, but nobody can outrun me" 

By the time Persephone catches up with me, the canon already fired. "At least we got someone, let's hope Collins and Clara are getting some luck of their own" Persephone is the one breathing heavily right now. 

"we aren't leaving yet. I wanna sweep the whole place. For all we know, Blackwood can be hiding here. It's the best option we have" 

"Okay, I trust you on this. But we're going back as soon as the sun starts to set" Persephone demands. "Sure, whatever" I push past her and start heading in one direction, not even bothering to check which. 

Besides the girl, we got nothing. As the sun started to set, we reached the shore, but the view we got was not the cornucopia's shining island. Instead, we found ourselves inside a circle of five islands-including the one we stood on. "Great" Persephone sighs. "Now we got lost"

"We are _not_ lost. We're just crossed the forest island to the other side, this is what there is past the forest island. We can use that" I insist. 

"We have to find the way back, what we got here in these bags won't get us far" Persephone leans agaisnt a tree. 

Before the anthem gets a chance to play, an explosion from behind catches our ear.

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

**\--a few minutes earlier-**

"Get down in that pile; we've got company" Jace returns from a hunting trip with a dead bird and basically pushes me into the pile of pine needles and red leaves. 

We lie next to eacother and cover oursleves up with the pile, I hear the crunching of the leaves, four legs. Two careers coming for us.

There was a canon earlier, someone else died. 

Jace and I cover eachother's mouth with our hands, not daring to make a sound.

"The leaves around this area are crunched" says a female voice I don't recognize. "How do you know these aren't _our_ footprints crunching those leaves?" Asked another, male voice this time. Him I recognize: it's Sloane's partner. 

"Because we didn't set footprints here, focus your hearing" the female voice commands. After a minute or two of silence, Two boy speaks out: "I can't hear anything" he says, frustrated. 

Another full minute of silence as the girl I don't recognize probably weighs her options. "I say we go back. Sloane and Persephone got someome, that's enough" 

Two boy doesn't argue, and I hear their footsteps backing away. I begin to sit up but Jace slaps my wrist, _it's not safe to go out yet._

We wait at least five more minutes before stepping out. "That was close" I murmur. We pull the pack out of its hiding in the pile.

That's when the explosion knocks us both down. 

The trees not far from us exploded, taking a bit of the landmass with them. Jace lies on top of me, his body protecting mine, his hands on his head. 

He rolls aside as we both continue to breath heavily. "Is your hearing okay?" Jace touches his ears with shaking hands. "Yes, I think!" I call out. There's a white noise ringing in my head but I can still hear him talking to me. "Good, mines too. Now let's go, we gotta get off this island!" He grabs my arm and moves deeper into the pine forest, which- turns out- wasn't that big- we reached the other shore in no time.

The anthem was playing, it showed Six girl. 

"See those island beyond the forest one? We're gonna swim to one of them, stay on my pace" Jace ignores the cuts and bruises on his face. 

I try to keep up with him; it takes time, but we hide ourselves inside an island that resembled a mini jungle, nice hiding place, at the right of the forest island. 

We light a small fire with the pine needles that stuck to our clothes and whatever dry branches we found close to our hiding spot. Just enough to cook the bird Jace caught. The meat is disgusting, but in the games, you can't be picky. 

"Who taught you to forge?" I ask. "My uncle Gale, and Rhys" Jace refuses to meet my eyes. "Not everyone can rely on sponsers all the time to eat."

"Thank you, for keeping my around." I bite my lip.

"Thank you for keeping me company. For now. Did you know Jean?"

"From school" I nod. "She was helping tutor our class back when she was a student. But everyone avoided her because they didn't wanna catch her "bad luck"" I stare at the dying embers of the fire, it's hardly cold outside. Even at night. 

"I bet they are cursing themselves now after she won" he chuckles. "How is she as a mentor?" 

"She's trying her best. It's her first year. She did everything she could to help me get ready and help me out" I look up, she's probably watching right now. "How's Katniss?"

"I known her since I was young. She's part of the family.. I always thought her and Gale were gonna happen.. but they never did. She is tough, she was against this whole.. alliance thing. But I told her I wanna try, so she contacted James Trojillio.."

"I'm glad she agreed. I would be doing horrible on my own" I dare lean my head against his, he doesn't ask me to move it. "You guard first" I murmur. 

"Whatever, Blackwood. Go to sleep" he twirls a knife in his hand once, twice. 

I drift off to sleep.

* * *

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th games. Mentor to Charlotte Blackwood.**

Charlotte's words send a warm feeling in my stomach, I lean my hand on my chin as yet another night begins, to my right, Katniss watches our screen with the same poker face mask she always wears and I wonder what could she be thinking. 

Someone peeks above my console. "You need a break" Medea commands.

"No way, I'll go to sleep tomorrow when dad shows up to replace me."

"Well, I'm here now. And I want you to take a break" from the entrance, I can see dad leaning on the doorframe, his eyes unreadable.

"But I can't just.. leave Charlotte! What about the sponsers? I checked our tab, we have about 35k. That's enough for a nice meal for her and Jace. Or do you think I should get her a knife of her own-"

"Jean, Your father took care of everything. Come with me, I know a great Cafe and bar in the city" Medea circled the line and stopped in front of me.

Dad nods quietly. "Taking a break is essential sometimes." 

I grumpily stand up and let Medea lead me to a waiting car taxi. "Elias' is the best. He has great coffee, Great booze, and he is very considerate towards us victors" she looks out the window at the black sky, with stars that can barely be seen with all those lights that never turn off. 

"How's your tribute?" I try to open a conversation. 

"Persephone got separated from Austin, she's with Sloane and they kind of lost their way to the cornucopia. They are looking at the options of exploring the islands beyond the forest island" 

"I don't think that's a good sign for Charlotte, maybe I should go back-" I sit up straighter ready to push the driver's button when Medea grabs my hand before it reaches it. "Hey, your dad is gonna take care of everything" she's still holding her hands in mine and I can't help but flush. "You can't stay in the mentors room the whole time otherwise you'll go crazy"

"But I need that distraction" i blurt. 

Medea's face darken, she lets go of my hands and leans back in the chair next to me. "Believe me, I get the "distraction" part. There's nothing I'd like more than to avoid seeing my arena in my dreams." The car halts into a stop in front of a one store shop with the pink Neon sign: "Elias'". 

Medea walks out and signals me to follow her. It's a Friday night, so many Capitolites gathered to drink after whatever job they have in this damn city, they spare us barely a glance as we take two stools next to the bar. 

"You were in the middle of telling me something. Do you wanna talk about it or do you wanna drink?" I lean my elbow on the wooden bar table. 

She frowns than signals the bartender. "Give me like... four shots, then I'll start talking on my own will" 

The bartender probably knows her already. Because he simply nods and pulls up four shots of pink, suspicious liquor and a bottle of whiskey. "Wanna share it?" Medea downs the first shot in one go. 

On my victory party, Medea bought me whiskey. (Mind you, I was not 18 yet. But it's not like people in the Capitol care). I had my first taste of Alchohol, it's not for me. 

"No thank you" I answer. 

"Fine, whatever you feel like" Medea downs another shot and I order some coffee, it's best to keep sleep away as much as I can. "I killed three people" Medea muses, tipsy, she downs another shot. "Technically, so did I" I reply. 

She shakes her head vigorously. "No, no no no. You killed Clarisse and Rainier _indirectly_. Only that Eight girl was a direct intentional kill. I knew what I was doing when I killed. I looked them in the _eye_ " she spits. 

Hailey's face float in my mind: _just before letting her fall, Medea saved her._

"I killed a boy from Five, I killed Ovette, and I set up the killing of your friend. And I never forgot their face" she downs the final two shots one after the other. "I bet you hated my ass for the longest time" 

"I did. It's only after I met Tate I realized it's not you guys' fault for your upbringing. The Capitol forced it on you. They created this tradition in the first place".

Medea nods, pouring whiskey into the now empty shot glasses and downing two. 

"Thank you for giving me a chance" she mutters. "Thank you for helping me out with stuff my dad can't help me with.. y'know. Girls stuff and deemble outfits and what not." I reply. "Doing that with Clymene is just the worst"

Medea throws her head back and laughs. "Gods, your stylist is one of the _worst!_ I always hear our stylist Regina talking behind our back how much she hates Clymene. She's like.. the popular mean girl in your school."

"She's just acting peacocky because she's still riding the high of my victory. I bet it'll pass as soon as thess games end" 

Medea thinks for a second. "Well, you could have a back to back victory, it happened to district 7, why not Eleven as well?" 

"Do you really think Charlotte can win?" 

Medea downs another shot. "If she plays her cards right and avoid Miss Vendetta over there, sure, why not?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tributes that are alive:
> 
> Esmeralda- 1  
> Collins and Sloane- 2  
> Leo and Clara- 3  
> Austin and Persephone- 4  
> Rekia- 7  
> Adam- 9  
> Joey and Antonia- 10  
> Charlotte- 11  
> Jace- 12


	8. Night 5/day 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sloane goes off on her own in attempts to find Charlotte. Medea asks James what Jean thinks about her.

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

"That's how you do it" Persephone comes closer into the light of the fire, holding a wiggling fish in her hand. 

We camped not far from this new shore; Persephone had taken on hersef to care for our food supply, since the food we packed from the cornucopia was enough for a day. 

"Good, now let's roast it"

Persephone skins the fish with one of the knives and we sit in silence as it laid roasted on a stick. "Do you think they will find us?" Persephone wonders. "No doubt, Austin is smart and capable enough to do that" I reply. 

If I'm honest, I wouldn't care if the rest of the pack comes to find us, I've been checking the islands around the area looking for Charlotte, but the only thing I found was the Seven girl. Whom I killed.

She's gotta be around here, I know she is. 

Indistinct voices cause me to jump up with my sword, Persephone joining me silently. I am ready to lift it as the voices become closer..

"Wait!" Persephone stops me. "I recognize these voices. It's them! Austin, and I think Collins too. Hey!, over here!" She calls out.

Not a minute later, Austin and Collins appear from the trees. "There you two are, how'd you get to the other side of this island?"" Austin doesn't hasitate to hug his district partner tightly. 

Collins and I simply nod at eachother. 

"We were chasing someone on day three. Then Sloane lead us the wrong way" Persephone blows a strand of charcoal black hair from her face. Is it just me, or is she crushing on Austin?

"Well, C'mon! we got the Threes guarding the cornucopia and I bet you wanna go there and sleep in a good sleeping bag, and eat some actual food.." 

"No" I say. 

"What?" Persephone's confusion reflected in all of their faces. 

"I'm not going with you. I have my own mission and as soon as I complete it, I'll return to the pack- assuming there will be one" 

"Sloane, are you sure?" This is the first time I've seen Collins voice actual concern. 

I lock eyes with him. "Yes. I'll be in that jungle island to the right, start a more productive search. Odds in your favor and all that" I give them a final glance before turning to the water with nothing but the sword strapped to my hip. 

I don't look back at them, but when I reach the jungle island's shore, they are no longer seen. 

I'm pretty tired, but since Persephone and I didn't do much today, I might as well make up for it, sleep be damned.

Even at night I feel the soft warm of.. _something_.. as I go though the leaves and cut through vines as soundlessly as I can.

Suddenly, I hear a gasp, and a hushed male voice: "stay quiet, someone's here again".

I recognize that voice, my mouth curls into a smirk. _luck has dawned on me._

Jace Hawthorne is here, and it means so is Charlotte Blackwood. 

I look through the mess of bushes: the dying ember of a little fire without smoke, two bags laying open with various things, Jace Hawthorne looking around, clutching a knife. 

We lock eyes, for a second I see an anouce of fear. From behind him, I can see Charlotte jumping up and bolting.

_No, no way, you aren't getting away from me._

Jace is ready to slam into me and knock me down. He's got a little weight advantage over me as I rustle him to reach for my sword. He's prepared for it even when I manage to get a punch to the throat, he coughs, tryinh to restore his breath as I manage to stand up again.

Charlotte already gained a head start on me, but the trail of crushed vines and plants leaves an obvious clue to where she went. 

I begin to follow it when the ground starts to shake beneath my feet, I look behind me and almsot lose my footing when I see whats happening: 

The island is crumbling. 

Bits of land and trees hit the water and I never see them. _focus on Charlotte!_ Clarisse's voice yells at me.

I run forwards in the trail when I find her frozen in shock standing near a banana tree. She raises her hands up in surrender as I study myself closer to her.

 _One hand motion and she's out of the games._ I raise my sword, ready to strike...

Something hard hits me in the side of the head and everything goes black.

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I stare, shocked yet thankful, at Jace, with our bags on his shoulders and a big stick in his hand. 

"That actually worked?!" His face were soaked with sweat and he stared at his doing in awe. 

The snapping of the trees not so far from us yanks both of us back into reality: the island is crumbling. We gotta get out fast!.

I run first, not looking back to see if he's coming with me, I know he is. We reach the water just as the last bits of bushes and trees disolve into the water. With us at a safe distance. The moon was our only source of light. 

We swim to the forest island- the closest one available. We crash on the shore. Every muscle in my body screams in exhaustion, sleep is the only thing that came to mind.

But as I watched the remains of our island wash in different directions I think about Sloane. 

"Did we.. kill her?" I ask, breathless.

" _We_ didn't do anything, the gamemakers triggered the arena event" Jace replies.

"But is she dead?" 

"I don't know, didn't pay attention to listen to the canon" Jace's voice comes from somewhere to my right. 

That's the last thing I hear before sleep washes over me like a river.

When I wake up, the sun is already high in the sky. Jace is standing above me. "We need to go deeper into the forest" he urges. 

I don't argue, we hike around the forest and find a spot hidden enough to rest in. "I think its good enough" Jace lets the bags he brought with fall to the ground. I still didn't get the chance to thank him properly... for saving me twice.

"Thank you for last night, you know, for saving ne" 

"No problem. That's why you allied with me, didn't you?" Jace raised his eyebrow.

* * *

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games.**

I didn't except to get up at all, but I did. I find myself floating on a bit of land the roughly my size. The gamemakers spared me. 

I mumble a small thanks to them. 

It's tiring to swim all the way to the far right island, that is even at a greater distance than the forest one, but it's closer to where I woke up. I do a mental check of myself: my head is throbbing and as far as I can see in my reflection in the water, I have a bloody wound on my right temple. 

Other than that, it's trivial scratches and cuts. I can handle those. 

The worse thing is.. I lost my sword. Now I truly have nothing. I let myself fall on the soft grass of the shore, closing my eyes, hoping for a miracle. 

When I wake up it's noon, a silver parachute is perched next to me, it contains a big package that has canned goods, some bacon, a little first aid kit and a knife. _not as good, but at least it's a weapon._

"Thank you Carmen, thank all of you guys who made it possible!" It's not hard to voice my gratitude, and Carmen said once that Capitol folk like it when you mooch up to them. 

I eat half of the pickles in one can, my hunger tells me to go on but I know I have to save my food otherwise I'll have to forge for myself- than I'll die of starvation when I won't be able to catch anything.

 _Go back to the cornucopia._ A soft voice tempts me. 

_No, I just know Blackwood is here, I can't give up just yet. _

When I finish eating, I make a makeshift bag out of the parachute and go up the grassy hill to see what this island is all about. 

It looks like a mini oasis: the sand spreading for about a mile but in the distance I can see an Oasis, tall palm trees surrounded by green, maybe even a sweet water pool in the middle. 

I ran through the sand with ease in no time, what's a mile when you're used to running 3 on a daily basis?. 

When I reach the Oasis, a throwing knife shrieks past me, I manage to avoid it just barely. 

"I was wondering when you'll show up" a tall blonde figure steps from her hiding spot, Esmeralda twirled a second knife on her finger. "And no, Charlotte Blackwood is not here".

Of course she isn't. My frustration shows. 

"Are you here to kill me, Esmeralda? I promise I'm not that easy to kill" I threaten. 

She simply shrugs. "No, I don't think so. I've been contemplating my strategy for the past few days, since I completed my mission." She takes a few steps closer to me. "And I realised: even tho I'm not in the pack, I'm here for a career finale. So I won't kill you just yet" she purrs. 

"Move then, i wanna use the Oasis" 

"You should wash yourself too, You look like shit" 

I don't need a reminder, Esmeralda. 

"I'm going after the Tens soon. You should join me" she raises her still perfect eyebrows as I sit in the shallow pool and wash myself. "You know where they are? Why haven't you gone after them then?!" 

"I wanna give them the benefit of the doubt" Esmeralda replies. 

"Fine. I'll join you" I sigh. I could use a few easy kills to distract myself from freaking Charlotte Blackwood.

* * *

**Medea Vaughn**

**District 4**

**Victor of the 107th hunger games, mentor to Persephone Mikkelson**

"She's definitely into him" I turn to Achilles next to me. 

Persephone leans on Austin as the anthem blares, showing no one's picture again. Night 6 has began. 

"It's not gonna end up good for them. It never is" he simply sighs. 

I dare to eye the line of consoles behind us, James is sitting there alone. Jean was here earlier, but about an hour ago James basically begged her to leave so they can switch. 

Persephone is doing okay, I might as well check on him. 

"How is she holding up?" I lean on the glassframe of the Eleven booth. "Pretty good, all things considered. Jace is still into this alliance between them" James replies. Charlotte and Jace are on the main feed: he teaches her how to dodge a knife hit and they find themselves inches apart, Charlotte blushes like crazy. 

Bad sign. James knows it too. 

I study him up close. He looks so similar to Jean it's amazing: they have the same raven colored curled poofy hair Capitol women are dying for, but will never achive. Those big dark eyes that shine in the florescent and natural light... the same dark brown skin that mesmerizes me... 

Alright, I got carried away. 

"Medea, is there a reason you are here?" James asks, a bit impatient. "I guess I just enjoy you and your daughter's company". 

He raises his eyebrows, as if he knows it's not the end of it. "It's a bit more than just enjoying Jean's company, is it?" 

"Of- of course not!" I stummer defensively. "I enjoy her as a new friend and thankful that she forgave me" 

James said nothing, but his playful smirk suggested he doesn't buy my version. "It's okay for you to have a crush on my Jeanie, she's lovely" he reassures me. 

"Well, can I ask what does she think of me?" I'm almost afraid to hear the answer. 

James thinks for a moment, "Jean likes being in your company- she even prefers it to mine at times- you are close to her age and is fairly new in all or this, she can relate to you in a way she can't really with me" 

My heart soars at the sound of this, _she's not mad anymore! She kind of likes me!_

James continues, and I feel a 'But' coming. "The thing is, Jean never showed romantic interest in anyone, be it boys or girls. She did admit to me she found boys and girls attractive, she wants to experiment with both, but she never spoke of any romantic feelings towards anyone" 

_Oh._ The little hope in my heart quickly crushes. 

James clearly saw the shift in my face, because his face softened: "I remember how hard love is when you are pretty young. Maybe all Jean needs is a special someome. Maybe that someone could be you! Jean definitely finds you attractive, you should at least ask her if she'd like to experiment with you" 

Noted. "Thanks for that advice, James". "Any time" he goes back to his console. On the main feed Charlotte and Jace are talking, Charlotte leans in closer....

_Does she have the guts?_

It's in her eyes, the question, she waits to see if he'll pull away, if he wants it. 

Apparently Jace wants it, because he's the one to close the gap between them, Charlotte returns the kiss, deep and hungry in a way non of them could fake. 


	9. Days 7 and 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sloane joins Esmeralda in her raid on Antonia and Joey's camp. Charlotte wonders what the kiss means for their alliance's future. Jean and Medea have another heart to heart talk.

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I think Esmeralda is a little....off. 

That trick she pulled at the cornucopia was cheap- even I got sprayed with Elliot's blood and I stood three plates away. 

As soon as the gong sounded she grabbed a bag and bolted, no looking back, I remember the victorious wicked smirk on her face..

Something in the way she smiles now as she packed her things makes me uncomfortable again. _you probably shouldn't have joined her. She could be luring you into a trap._ Clarisse never stops giving me advice even from the grave. 

"Why did you hate Elliot so much?" I dare to ask. Yes, Carmen told us what Amethyst Wheeler told her, but its best to hear it from the actual source. 

Esmeralda zips up her bag and sits on it. "He was in training on the group a year above me, so was my brother. Both of them were finalists last year, but non of them got chosen" 

I remember the guy that _did_ get chosen, he got himself blinded on the second day and then got ambushed by the outliar Clarisse chased with the same passion as I'm chasing Charlotte. 

"Somehow, Elliot believed it was Coblet's fault for him not getting chosen, he had a pre existing grudge against me for rejecting him in public." 

I nod, I can relate to that, seeing the boys and girls in my class, how dramatic both genders are sometimes. 

"So the next time they fought eachother in the tournament, Eliot landed a dirty shot at Coblet with his sword." She looks away. "At first no one suspected the hit, it was minor, but a few hours later Coblet died as a result of internal bleeding" 

_oh._ I don't know how to react to that. "The academy tried to cover it up and Eliot got away with it. I get why. But I made it my mission to become this year's tribute so I can kill him for what he did" she looks back at me, twirling her throwing knife. "And I did. I'm proud of it" 

"Good for you" I shrug. Not knowing what else to say to that. 

"I know right?" She picks up her bag and stands up. "The Tens are hiding on the other side of the island" she points beyond the Oasis, where the desert continues. "They don't know I know exactly where they are, they don't bother to check. Stupid" 

"I know" I agree. 

We move silently and slowly through the desert, just before we reach the hill, I recognize voices on the other side of it. "What did you bring this time? More fish?" Ten girl calls out to her partner. We can't hear what her partner answered, but she doesn't argue, instead there was silence and the distant voice of someone swimming in the water. 

"I'll take the girl, take care of the boy, will you?" Esmeralda whispers. Barely hearable. 

I nod, and move to the right slowly to see where he is, keeping myself low: he reached the shore, holding a dead fish in his hands. Dripping water and not caring. 

Ten girl drops suddenly, probably hit by Esmeralda's knife. The canon fires immediately. 

I sprint up the hill and use the momentum given to me by running down the hill to charge at him and tackle him to the ground. He tries to kick me down but I am ready foe it, I pull my knife and slash a red clear line across his neck, effectively cutting the major vein, killing him almost instantly.

I don't like drawing out deaths- unless it's Charlotte Blackwood. 

His canon fires a moment later. 

"Good work, but I don't like getting my hands dirty" Esmeralda stands at the top of the hill, amused. 

I look down at myself, his blood covers both my hands, probably my face too. "I don't mind it. Part of what we have to do to win" I pant. 

I clean myself up in the saltwater surrounding the island so I wouldn't have to stain the nice sweetwater pool at the Oasis with Ten boy's blood. 

"I'm taking the fish he caught" I state. Esmeralda doesn't argue. 

I spend the rest of the day with her, at night, we start a campfire to roast the fish like Persephone tried to teach me- it came out gross, but at least it was not burned to a crisp or stayed uncooked. 

"Are you gonna return to your alliance?" Esmeralda looked up at the stars, not at me. 

"I don't know. I wanna find Charlotte so damn badly, and she's gotta be on one of those islands now that the one she used to be on was destroyed" 

"But you are clearly incapable of forging for yourself." Esmeralda crosses her arms. 

"I- I can manage!" I try to argue. "Sure you can" she rolls her eyes. 

_She has a point._ I sigh. _What's the point of chasing after Charlotte if I'm slowly dying from hunger?_

"I might start the journey back to the cornucopia, but Tommorow and the day after I'm gonna check the two islands I haven't checked." I report. 

"You do you, I guess I'll see you in the finale, Berkley" Esmeralda shrugs. "May the odds be ever in your favor"

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

**Day 8**

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Almost two days later, I finally master the courage to ask Jace about the kiss we shared.

"No" he digs his fingers into the dirt we sat on. 

"Okay but we gotta talk about it" I try again. "It's just happened. It was a mistake, so we never talk about it again, is that good enough?!" He grits. 

There's nothing I'd like more than to forget about that stupid kiss, but no matter how hard I try, It doesn't leave my head. "I was basically waiting to see if you pull back, I _gave_ you a choice, and you chose to kiss _Me_. So this is essentially your fault, I'll have you know" 

"Fine. You know what?! I don't regret kissing you. Okay? That's what you wanna hear?!"

I freeze. "You- don't regret it?" 

Jace sighs. "No Charlotte, I liked kissing you. Fuck! I'm just pissing all over Rhys' memory, aren't I?" He buries his face in his hands. 

I hesitantly put a hand on his back, rubbing it softly. "You aren't pissing on anyone's memory. it was Rhys' choice to love Matthew in his arena and it's your choice to kiss me in this one and enjoy it. You said it yourself: you need my company to keep you sane, it's the only reason you kept this alliance, since.. let's be honest, I'm pretty much useless" 

He lifts his head and frowns at me. "Don't say that, you aren't useless" 

"Admit it, I'm not that good at finding food or making traps and I'm sure as hell not a fighter. You keep me around to not be alone, aren't you?" I cross my arms.

He sits in silence. "See? But it's okay. I know I'm useless and I'm more than grateful to have your protection. You are the greatest ally a silly rich girl can ask for in these games" I dare to make a move and give him a kiss on the cheek.

He jumps, backing away from me and grabbing his cheek as if I slapped him. "No, Charlotte, we can't keep _this_ going on!" He exclaimed. 

"It's just a friendly kiss" I claim. "It's still dangerous. Remember, we're already on day 8 and there are ten-"

A canon cut him mid sentence. 

"There are only nine ttributes left in the game" Jace corrects himself. "what are we gonna do when it's down to six tributes? What are we gonna do when it comes down to just us and Sloane Berkley or something?" 

"She can take on one of us definitely-"

"You're not getting the point, Charlotte" he stops me. "We can't go on much longer, doing things like that, kissing.. it's gonna make our inevitable separation even harder" Jace moves a hand through his dark hair, he has that Seam look- the same neighborhood the Everdeen sisters grew up in so long ago.. 

"How much longer before you split?" I ask him, afraid to know the answer.

"Two days at most. Earlier if we're down to the finale 8 tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I gotta draw the line" 

"It's understandable." I say, a bit disappointed. "It's best if there's a big number of tributes in with us when we split, that way there's less of a chance we'll have to fight eachother in the finale" 

Jace nods at my agreement.

I don't say it aloud. But the chilling thought remains on my mind: _After we split, Sloane will find me._

Honestly, I'm not sure if anything will remain of me if she does.

* * *

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th games, mentor to Charlotte Blackwood**

**Night 8**

When I'm not in the mentors room, in the hours I can't spend asleep otherwise the nightmares come, I like to practice my chosen skill.

Not many victors continue after their victory tour- dad included- but I need something to do while I wait for my dad to return to the compound so we can change shift. 

I play a short piece on the flute, soft, jumpy notes echo throughout the lobby when the elevator opens.

I almost throw the flute away, the elevator opening can only mean one thing: _dad is here! Shift change time!_

"Your compound looks a lot like ours" 

I pause mid step: this young, female voice clearly doesn't belong to my dad. I can't help but blush a little when I see Medea in a short, sparkling light blue dress. Her hair flowing down in brown waves this time. 

She looked fantastic.

"Hey, Medea, shouldn't you be at the victors lounge helping your tribute?" I ask, albeit awkwardly.

"That's the perks of having a few victors coming with you" Medea shrugs. "Gemma took my Place while Aidan and Atalanta gather sponsers."

She sits on the couch, her face unreadable. "If I'm honest, we could use a victory this year, We gave Finnick and Annie a pass for life from these games, Gemma is getting really old.. Aidan and Atalanta are not as sponser magnets as they used to be because they aren't that pretty anymore.. Achilles and I can't do all of this by ourselves." 

"I don't think sponsers care that much for age or looks, my dad is getting us some real good sponsers on his own, I don't even need to deal with them that much!"

Medea's sighs: "it's not the same in districts like ours. Capitol People constantly want us to keep up with One and Two. They want us to send them our hottest and most famous victors they can mingle with. People don't really remember Aidan and Atalanta anymore" 

My hand closes into a fist that I really wanna slam into one of those airhead potential sponsers that hang around the sponsers den. "Seriously?! That's whats going on in their minds?" 

"Anyways. Hows it going with Charlotte? I heard people are shipping them hard last I've been in the sponsers den" Medea is quick to change the subject. 

"I told her a romance angle wouldn't work on Jace, that he would reject her" 

"Turns out he was the one who leaned in, tounge first" Medea chuckles. 

"I know. I didn't see that coming" I admit.

"You know the smartest thing would be to send her a note telling her to be the first to leave. Right? James wanted to do that but since Charlotte is _your_ tribute.." 

"But what if she runs into Sloane? She's bound to sooner or later and I'd rather have Jace with her when she does" I move my fingers through my hair, trying to think a clever solution. 

"Hey". Medea's face soften. "I'm sure whatever you decide is the right decision to make" 

"It's my first year, what shot I have of bringing her home?" I whisper.

"Better than my first shot" Medea scoffs. 

"Who was your first shot?" I ask. 

"Her name was Clea Revani. She was the female tribute for the 109th games; do you remember her?" 

_No, I don't._ I shake my head. 

"I don't blame you. Clea was the first that was reaped and not volunteered for in 50 years. No one knew why our volunteer chickened out: Clea was 15, and reckless. She was a part of the training program, and still was hell bent on showing to the other careers that year that she's worth something" 

"What happened to her?" 

"She was blown to bits because she was too excited to begin already, that's why Laius left the pack, and then he joined Emery- you know how the story ended. I was prepared to go down to the morgue but there was nothing to collect" Medea looks straight ahead, avoiding meeting my eyes. 

My stomach twists at the thought of going down to that room that smells of death, to look at Charlotte's blank face and know I failed. I can't help it, the tears start falling down my cheeks:

"I can't do this, I can't do this!" I sob

Medea pulls me closer to her, she leans my head on her collarbone. "The first time I went down to the morgue, I watched over Laius' eyeless corpse, and I broke down." She mutters. "I sat down on a chair there and I cried like a bitch, Atalanta came to pick me up. After that, I promised myself that I'll see worse, and I did, I watched them take care of Tate"

She doesn't need to remind me how horrible Tate looked like when he died, I will never be able to forget. 

"-and then your dad came, He wanted to make sure I was okay" Medea chuckled, either bitterly or at the memory. "He bought me a drink and said hw was sorry. That night I realized I'll have to do this in years to come, I'm slowly getting thicker skin every year I come here" 

"You think I will too?" I sniff. 

"You already have such thick skin from the arena, from your life before it, each year will harden you more and more. You can learn to trust and depend on people like your dad; or victor friends to help you go through it"

"Like you?" I lean my chin on her bare shoulder. 

Medea seems to almost blush at that. "You- you want me in your victor life?" 

"Sure, dumbass. I already told you that. I need to have some friends around my age" 

We stay like that for a while, me lying half on her lap as she stroked my curls, while I studied her calm and laid back expression. 

I didn't even notice dad entered. "Jeanie, I'm pretty tried and I was hoping you could trade shifts with me-" he stops when he sees us like this. I am quick to sit up and tidy myself and Medea hurries to sit away from me like an ashamed boyfriend after getting caught. 

"Sure, I'll tidy myself up and trade with you for the night" I answer. "I.. should also be going. There's only so much Gemma can stay in the mentors room, she's nearing 80.." Medea stands up and walks- pretty fast, considering her high heels- past dad back to the elevator. 

"You're quite fond of her, in a way you haven't yet grew fond of a preson, aren't you Jeanie?" He raises a questioning brow at me before the elevator doors close in front of me. 

On my own, in the short elevator ride I think to myself:

_What do you really want from Medea Vaughn?_


	10. Day 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A defeated Sloane returns to the cornucopia, Charlotte receives a note from Jean, who in the meantime tries to comprehend what she feels towards Medea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After endless roaming in YouTube I found theme songs for Jean and Medea.  
> Jean- stand up/Cynthia Erivo  
> Medea- Victorious/Panic! At the disco

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I am officially done. 

Charlotte Blackwood wasn't on the Savanna island, and she's not on this goddamn tundra island either. (Ironically, even in this supposed ice desert, it was still warm like the middle of summer- thanks a lot, gamemakers)

Giving up is a strange new notion for me, but I finished every bit of food the sponsers gave me, and in this island there are clearly no food sources. 

I have to go back to the cornucopia if I wanna live. 

_This isn't over, Blackwood._ I clench my teeth as I start to swim back to the forest island. _I'm still gonna get you, and you'll be sorry when I do._

All I have on my is the knife, I scout the forest island just in case, keeping my trail forward, towards the cornucopia. 

I break through the forest towards the shore, the cornucopia is within my sight, if I'm focusing hard, I can hear some of the talking:

"We're gonna go test the bombs together, okay? You two should stay here" says Leo, I see him and his partner move towards the island next to the cornucopia, two bags on their backs. 

Persephone and Austin sit closer to the mouth of the cornucopia, I think he's leaning on her, they seem to enjoy themselves. 

Something starts swimming towards me in harsh, efficient, rowing motions. It's Collins, he doesn't seem to mind the water dripping off him as he greets me Hello.

"Thank the Makers, I don't think I can survive longer with lovebirds from district 4, and obvious crush idiots from district 3- they may be smart enough to reignite a landmine, but to recognize their feelings?"

I laugh. "I came back because I couldn't find Blackwood in any of the islands" 

He furrows his brows. "Give up? Sloane Berkley? Doesn't feel right. You're the girl who volunteered against all odds for that. You can't just abandon your cause." 

"I'm not! I'm just taking some time to relax with my old alliance! Maybe take out the Threes for now.." 

"Sounds like a good plan to me" he shrugs. 

We're about to start crossing to the cornucopia when the huge explosion rocks everything. It throws both me and Collins off balance.

When I stand up, cleaning the sand from my tanktop and pants, the cornucopia island is blown to bits.

Two canons fire one right after the other. 

"What was _That?_ " Collins continues to stare at where all the good shit was once, at where _Persephone and Austin_ were once, they were probably blown to bits along with the cornucopia... 

_We're just gonna test the bombs together._ Leo said five minutes ago. "This was their plan all along" I mutter. "The Threes, they found a way to activate the landmines from afar.."

"And now the cornucopia is gone" Collins completes me.

_If the Threes kill Persephone, or Austin, Or Collins.. Carmen once said, I remember what I answered._

"Their blood is on my hands. I let the Threes join.." I look over to the island Leo and Clara now settled on. 

"It's day Ten, and we were about to split anyways, it's good they are dead now. Saves us the trouble of fighting them later" Collins reassures me. 

"Where will we go? That is- if you wanna stick by me" I ask. "Sure, I'll stick by, we can stay here, spread out and maybe you'll find Blackwood here. This is the last hiding place she can go to" Collins looks back at the forest. "I got a pack before I left the cornucopia, it has some bare minimum food.."

"We'll manage, what about the Threes?" I ask 

"You want to after them now?" 

"The sooner the better" 

Collins raises his spear. "After you then" 

We swim quickly and as quietly as we can, as we break through the bushes I stop in my tracks. "Wait, Collins. Stop!" 

He does what I tell him to. a small, barely visible wire stretches from two bushes, spliting the island in half, I have a bad feeling if Collins takes one more step, he'll also be blown into bits.

"That's right, stay where you are" Leo holds a weird iron box surrounded by wires, probably a makeshift remote. Clara holds a crossbow with an arrow ready and aimed at my throat. 

"That was a genius dick move you did earlier" I grunt. "Cheaper than Esmeralda with the boot" 

"It was genius, and non of it would be possible if you hadn't let us into your pack, Sloane. A pack you weren't even a part of for most times. Not even Austin was smart enough to suspect this" Leo remarks

"At least they died together" Clara adds. Her crossbow is still aimed at my throat.

I can't help but feel rage for being caught like this, at the mercy of (technically) outliers. But if I take a step closer, I will be blown by Leo's remote controled bomb or this trip wire trap. 

_I wish I had Esmeralda's good aim._ I think.

Before I'm able to do anything, Collins chucks his spear, it lodged itself in Leo's just, his grip on the remote was gone. Clara screamed, but I had the good enough reflexes to dodge her arrow. Leo's canon fires. 

I skip over the trip wire, avoiding her arrows as best as I can, before kicking the crossbow from her hands and tackling her down like I did with Ten boy. 

I don't give her time to fight me back, my knife is already in her chest, I push it harder into her until blood starts dripping from her mouth, and her body finally goes limp under me. Her canon fires. 

I take the knife out. "Let's get out of here, back to the forest island" 

"Good call" Collins took out his spear just as the hovercraft whistled above us. "Let's go" 

We go back the exhausting way back to the forest island.

_Not many places to hide anymore, Blackwood. I'll be looking._

* * *

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th games, Mentor to Charlotte Blackwood**

Night slowly falls and I can see the tensions rising between Jace and Charlotte.

In a span of a single day, the number of tributes dwindled from nine to five tributes. The Capitol crew didn't even ship to the districts yet! Meaning the final 8 interviews will be turning into the final 5 interviews.

Then it dawns on me: Charlotte is in these finale five. 

Medea left earlier, her face unreadable. Two days ago she told me she practices on masking her emotions.

Once again her tribute was blown to bits with no body to pick up. What is she going to tell her tribute's family?

What am I going to say to Charlotte's family in case she doesn't come back?

For now, Charlotte sits apart from Jace, they are both thinking about it, they have to split. Now. "Haymitch and Maysllee much?" Katniss leans back in her chair. "They have to split now, but even if they do, I have a feeling he'll come to her aid if Miss Vendetta catches her" 

"They know they have to split. But someone needs to make that first move" I reply.

On the screen, Jace wraps some of the food Katniss and I sent them yesterday, along with the knife. "Take these" he commends.

"What about you?" Charlotte doesn't take the things right away. "I can manage by myself" he replies. "Oh.. where do you suggest I'd go?" She asks him

"I'm staying on this island. If you want, you can stay in our little area. But I'm going closer to the cornucopia, to see what was all that noise earlier" 

"Goodbye. Jace" Charlotte quivers.

"Goodbye" he doesn't turn around, doesn't shake her hand, just leaves. It must be hard enough for him as it is. 

I know Sloane is also in this forest island, I gotta warn Charlotte somehow:

Dad said there's a limit you can help your tributes, I can't tell Charlotte outright that Sloane is here, but I can tell her to not stay on this island.

I type a short ominous note: _Go._

She should know why I sent her that, she's not dumb.

I watch as the small basket of fresh bread I sent her drops from the sky just as the anthem started playing: it showed the Threes and the Fours, Charlotte picks up her stuff, she clearly read the note.

She swims to the desert island with the Oasis Esmeralda once camped in, but I haven't seen the girl from One anywhere since she and Sloane killed the Tens. 

As of now, Charlotte is the only one in the Oasis. 

The chair next to me creeks, indicating someone sat down next to me. "Do you need a break?" Dad asks.

"No, I'm pretty good" 

"I feel like you should take this break. If not for yourself, than for your _friend._ " 

Oh, right. Medea just lost both of her district's tributes. I should at least be there to support her. 

To be honest, since our last conversation, I want to spend more and more time with her, and I know if our situation was reversed- which it still might be- she would try to comfort me.

"I'll take this break for tonight" I leave the tablet on the table and take a cab to the tribute centre.

I dare to push the four button on the elevator, luckily for me, my guess was correct and I didn't have to travel across the city all the way to Elias'. Medea sits alone on one of the couches in the lobby, her fellow mentor Achilles Demourt sat across from her. 

They both were drinking. 

"Hey" I call, to make myself known to them. 

Did I imagine? Or did Medea's eyes light up when she noticed me. "I hope you don't mind, I wanted to show you something upstairs" I focus my gaze on Medea, who looks at Achilles in question: "Go, I'll talk to Marcus on the holographic screen" 

I take a bold risk to grab her wrist and lead her to the elevator. "Where are we going?" She asks.

"The garden on the roof. You've been?" 

"Well, yeah, not much though." She muses

The cool breeze hits both of us as I open the metal door to the garden, which still looks marvelous under the moonlight and the colored lamp posts

"Come on. I wanna show you something my dad showed me once" I don't let go of her wrist, I drag her through the leaves of the bush- no thorns grew on the rose bushes. 

"Your dad made this place?" Medea moves her fingers slowly on the wooden armchair. "Yes, no one will see you here, you can break down for as long as you need.. and I'll be here with you- that is.. if you want me to" I invite her to sit. 

Instead she wraps her hands around me, my hair rubbed her cheek but she didn't seem to mind. 

"I'm here, like you were for me a few days ago" I whisper. 

I can feel her soft sniffles next to my ear. "Thank you, I needed you to be"

I stay in her arms for as long as she needs.

A horrid memory repeats in my head _: Medea letting Hailey's wrist go, Hailey falling from the side of a snowy mountain, Hailey landing in a pile of broken limbs and blood in front of another career. Don't forgive her, don't forget what she did._

I break free from her embrace with a gasp. Medea's blue eyes flicker with nothing but concern, and maybe something else?

"Something wrong?" Her voice sounded small, unsure, even if she was older than me. 

"I-" _don't trust her, don't give yourself to her knowing what she did._ A bitter part of my brain, the one that remained 14, angry and grieving, kept repeating the memory in my head. 

_She's not the "career bitch" anymore, huh?_ Dad told me that before the opening ceremony, after Medea confessed to me how scared she was of the prostitution circle. 

_You're not 14 anymore._ Said a different voice in my head. _She apologized countless times, everything she did this year was to beg for your forgiveness, maybe it's time to truly move on?_

I think about another thing dad said not long ago: _you're quite fond of her, in a way you've never grew fond of anyone._

 _Maybe, just maybe. You feel something for her? Something you never thought you're able to feel?_ Rainier whispers in my ear.

 _Let go of the past._ A new voice inside me commends.

"Jean?" Medea looked like she was about to cry. "I- I think it's time I let go of the past" I meet her luminous blue eyes.

I dare to do something reckless, I stand on my tiptoes, wrap my hands around her neck and kiss her.

She doesn't pull away, instead she deepens the kiss as if she wanted it all along. Maybe she has, maybe she did all these things because she has feelings for me, but right now there was no one else but us on the roof. 

I move my hand through her soft waves of hair, but at this point I ran out of air, and had to stop. Medea's hand was on my cheek, a single tear ran down hers. 

"You didn't turn me down" she whispers. 

"I don't wanna turn you down" I feel the blush flooding my entire face. "You make me feel funny" 

Medea's soft chuckle was the most beautiful sound in the world. "How about we take this somewhere else? Have you ever _experienced_ with anyone?"

"No" my repluse to romance kept me a virgin. 

"Would you like to?" 

I take her hand and intertwine our fingers. "Yes...we can go to my compound, Clymene and Giorno won't return until the morning. Dad's watching over Charlotte..." 

"Sounds wonderful" she murmurs.

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

The Oasis is quiet on these hours of the night, the anthem long since played, and I hear nothing but the buzzing of the bugs.

Yet I can't sleep.

Five of us left, just five. How long will it take until it's four? 

Can I even outlive the four who remained?

Esmeralda- beautiful, deadly career. Who didn't think twice about killing her own district partner, who would probably laugh as she stabs me through the heart with whatever weapon she uses. 

Collins- I don't know much about him, all I know is that he killed Jace's partner at the bloodbath, and he's Sloane's partner, he'll probably hold me down as she bleeds me dry. 

Sloane- Miss vendetta herself. Had her eyes out for me since the fucking opening ceremony, and for what?! To make Jean sad? How is that gonna help her dead sister?! She'll probably laugh as I scream and cry out in pain. 

And then there was Jace. 

Jace, who opened up to me slowly, who leaned in and gave me not the first- but the best kisses I ever had. Who barely looked at me as he left. 

_If he looked, it would only broken his and your heart more._

Would he come for me if he heard me screaming his name? I wanna believe he will. 

As I look at the stars, I hum the soft lullaby I used to sing to Nina when she wouldn't fall asleep. 

Is she watching the games? Oh I hope not, I hope mom and dad keep her as away as possible from the TV. even if it means answering her questions about when I am coming back..

If I am coming back..

 _You will come back._ Insisted a voice _. A girl wanting to avenge her dead sister isn't gonna stop you from getting back home to yours._

Now this is the mindset I'd like to have for the rest of the games. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep in mind, the forest island is huge. Sloane wasn't as lucky to run into Charlotte and Jace when she crossed it. So they don't know her and Collins are also in the forest island.


	11. Day 12- the beginning of the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Collins asks Sloane what exactly is her game plan, she thinks about winning

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

The forest arena was quiet this afternoon, Collins and I went back to the ruins of the cornucopia and got me a proper short sword. 

Yesterday we heard the distant roars of a mutt and the yells of someone fighting it. I bet Collins three beef jerkies that it was Esmeralda, and I'm very confident in my bet. 

"Do you think we should go to that tundra island, just to check on her?" Collins asks me. 

"You didn't see her, that girl has guts. She's a little crazy and she's a calculated fighter. Those screams were most likely her battle cry or some shit" I reply.

Our day started slow, Collins was far more adaptive than me to the forest, and he managed to score us breakfest- a dead pigeon. 

Now we sat back to back, each polishing and cleaning our weapons. "Sloane-" Collins began. A low growl caused me to jump up. Another growl came from Collins' direction.

I didn't have to even say it out loud for Collins to understand; _they sent mutts after us as well._

"Watch it!" I yelled just as the first wolf lunged at him. Collins ducked out of the way and rolled beneath it to stab his spear through the beast's mouth. The mutt howled in pain. I was so focused on watching over Collins that I didn't see the second wolf charge at me.

At first, it knocked me down with it's huge paws, the claws digging into my shoulder skin, I can't hide my pain as a scream tears through my vocal chords. I raise my sword to stab at the wolf's side, but I barely hit deadly points. 

The beast's mouth is inches away from my face and that's when I realise: They won't kill _me,_ I make these games interesting and they want me to find Charlotte- whatever happens when I do. 

I slash at the wolf's belly, the noise it makes as it howled in pain satisfied me. Above me, Collins shoves his spear through the beast's side like I tried to do earlier. 

I crawl from beneath the dead mutt and rise to my shaky feet. 

_If father would've seen me like this.. he would've called me a failure, weak. That's what he always thought._

Luckily for me, He's long dead. 

"You're injured" Collins throws his bloody spear and opens his bag. "I got some bandages and tape from the cornucopia" he pulls a rolled white bandage and cuts it in two. "Who's to say it won't get infected" 

"I..didn't think about that" he muttered. 

"It's okay. We've got sponsers, right?" I try to mooch off. No parachute so far. 

_Could the people really be rooting for Charlotte Blackwood?_

Night slowly comes and the anthem shows no ones picture yet again. _it's gonna change tomorrow._ I look over to the two islands: one to our left, one straight ahead. She's gotta be on one of those. 

"Sloane.." Collins feeds our fire with tiny branches we collected. "What?! I'm planning" I don't take my eyes of the two islands. _there's gotta be a sign to where she is._

"Exactly. What's your plan once you find Blackwood?" 

What _is_ my plan when I find her? All this past days it's been about _finding_ Blackwood. "Are you gonna stay true to what you said in the interview? Killing her as slowly as possible?" Collins asks. 

It can be a possibility, and thinking about the ways Jean Trojillio would be withering in the mentors room.. its kind of fun to imagine. "Possibly, I guess only when I'll have her I'll truly know" 

"Sloane, if you do end up torturing her.. I'm not gonna stick around." He says quietly.

"So you're a coward then? What's a little cutting open things for a girl who deserves it?!" 

Collins stands up. "Maybe she doesn't. She's not Jean Trojillio and she's never gonna be Jean Trojillio. You want revenge? Win this thing and face Jean Trojillio in the after party. But torturing this girl won't bring your sister back. Kill her if you must, But do it honorably and quickly" 

"You're quick to say!" I stand up as well, my nerves twich and I'm dying to let out my anger. If he wants to start I wil lfucking start:

"I watched you kill 4 people at the cornucopia alone! Am I supposed to believe Persephone killed that Nine boy on day 10? I don't think so. Don't act so fucking innocent with me, you're not a saint, Collins!" 

"You're right. I'm not, but I kill people, and animals like that bird as quickly and as painlessly as I can. Because that's how you get back home. But I'm not gonna sit by and watch you torture a girl. It doesn't matter what district she is" 

"Well it does to me" I spit. "You don't have to stick by if you're such a wuss" 

"I won't. If you ever gonna lay a hand on this girl just to break and make her suffer, I'm not gonna let you. I'll kill her myself if I have to"

 _Just like that, huh? Just like that._ I raise my sword. "You wanna go right now, Core? The winner gets to do in Charlotte Blackwood _their_ way" my shoulder wounds probably reopened because I can feel them again, in all their painful glory. But I clench my teeth and continue to raise my sword- my new _Otrera._

Collins shakes his head and picks up his bag. "I'm not gonna fight you, Sloane, You're injured. But if I see you doing horrid things to her.. I won't hasitate to take on you yourself" 

"Have it your way!" I throw the sword in anger. "If tomorrow you'll feel more like yourself again, maybe we can be allies again" he adds before walking off to the water, in the direction of the Oasis island.

_Have it your way Collins. I was meant to fight you anyway. In one way or another._

_But no one stand between a St Mark woman and her revenge, Clarisse proved it._

Fucking fear me, Blackwood. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a short one but it's 2:30 AM here and the interesting bits and the finale are coming soon!


	12. Unlucky number 13- part one.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 13 is the finale day, as tributes face off against eachother, a victor will be crowned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof warning. There are some major violence scenes in this chapter and in the next one, be warned.

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

I have a good feeling it'll all come down to today, day 13. Barely a half from last years games. 

When I wake up, the Savanna island is gone, crumbling. The tundra still stands, so that doesn't narrow my options towards where Blackwood might be. My mission still stands, even it these games end today: 

I'm gonna kill Charlotte Blackwood. 

I guess in some miracle, or gamemaker intervention, there's a big landmass bridge that wasn't there before: starting from my camp to the Oasis island.

That is most definitely a sign for me. Pointing me in the right direction. 

I begin the running process across the new bridge when I remember Collins also moved in the Oasis direction, his warning from yesterday still stands; he'll kill Charlotte before me if he sees her, to "save her from her misery" 

Fuck him if he thinks he can still that away from me. There's no way the gamemakers would let him.

She's mine, she's mine, she's _mine._

I reach the grass hill that surrounds the desert, I climb to the top to look for Collins, that fucking outlier is most definitely at the Oasis. Girl can't do shit without Hawthorne. She _needs_ the Oasis. 

I run through the little desert, the fastest and the most quiet I've ever run, I drop to the sand to avoid getting seen by her. Here she is by the water, filing up a canteen. Her eyes focused on anything else but me. 

My chance has finally come-

Something rams into me. Something bigger in size with shaggy black hair and a supposedly quiet demeanor.

"Fuck you Collins! I'm this close!" I hiss loudly as he pines me down in the sand. 

Collins raises a knife. "I won't let you torture that girl-" I manage to roll a bit to the left, avoiding his knife just barely. 

I still have my sword, I slash at his belly just like I did the wolf mutt yesterday, but Collins' face remains unchanged. If I wounded him, he wouldn't show it. 

Collins is distracted, looks up to where I guess Charlotte Blackwood is. I use the seconds I have to slide my short sword beneath him and hit him hard on the head with the swords hilt. 

His giant form falls down, his eyes roll backwards and he drops on me. Unconscious.

I push him off me and waste no time going up the last few feet to the Oasis, Charlotte isn't fast enough. She manages to reach just a few feet from the Oasis before I catch up.

I stab with my sword once, she dodges it, I do it again, she dodged this hit as well. 

But she's just where I wanted her. 

I hit her too with the hilt of the sword, knocking her out even faster than Collins. 

Only when I drag her by the feet to the nearest tree and pull up rope from her bag, only then I realize the gravity of my action here.

Finally, _Finally._ I have Charlotte Blackwood exactly where I want her.

* * *

**Charlotte Blackwood**

**District 11**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

My head is throbbing, and when I finally manage to open my eyes, I see the last face I want to see in this entire world:

Sloane Berkley's wicked smirk. 

She looks even worse than last I've seen her: her hair is a dark mess, her eyes look even more crazed, the arena took its toll on her: the signs of hunger have given their marks in her- I guess she's just as incapable as me in forging for herself- and there are two blood drenched bandages on both sides of her shoulders, that she doesn't seen bothered by.

I remember how her partner looked at me with urgency, he attacked her on purpose because he wanted to serve me the trouble of getting tortured.

But he is just as tied up as me on another tree, various ropes and knots surround his tall, bulky frame. He is still unconscious. 

"Yeah, Collins isn't gonna help you" Sloane leans on the hilt of her sword, looking me up and down like she still doesn't believe she has me in the flesh.

"You know, Clarisse taught me how to tie knots, she was pretty good at that" Sloane puckered her lips. She noticed I stared at her injuries. "Oh, these? Got them from a mutt yesterday" she pulls out a wicked looking knife. "Maybe I should cut you the same way, that way we can match!" She laughs.

 _Maybe she truly lost her mind._ "you aren't gonna do it" I spit. "That's not what the audience want you to do"

Sloane takes a few steps back, throwing her arms to the sky "Maybe we should ask them? Huh? HEY GUYS! VOTING TIME! should I torture her or not? VOTE NOW ON YOUR ELECTIONC DEVICES!" 

_She is out of her mind._ A hovercraft flies to the morning sky, a big screen lights up on her: the words "yes" and "no" are on two polls: the gamemakers probably intervened to bring the Capitolites to do what Sloane asked. 

The polls started rising: matched at first, but as the clock counted back, a little gap opened, the "yes" rising a bit higher than the "no" poll.

The voting clock reached zero, and one big word flashed on the screen:

_Yes_

Sloane gives a little curtsey. "The people have spoken. And I respect their opinion." She throws the sword to the ground and picks up the knife. 

The first thing she sends my way is a punch, my eyes water and her figure becomes blurry. "Just a little thing to start with" Sloane caresses my cheek with her knife, the blade comes back red. 

"I think I'll give us.. _matching_ wounds." She tilts her head. 

Her knife cuts a wide line across my collarbone, I clench my teeth, blinding myself to the pain. _don't you dare scream. Don't your dare give her that._

She finishes cutting four cuts looking like claw marks, she said it matches hers. 

Sloane tied my hands above my head, so I can see my own blood drips down my left side, covering my dirty tanktop. 

The knife Sloane holds is fully red now, she moves on to the other side, cutting the four claw marks without flinching. Tears fall down my face, mixing with the blood from the cheek cut. _Close your eyes._ Jean begs in my mind. _someone will come, Close your eyes._

"don't feel like talking? Say you're sorry and I might go easy on you" Sloane puckers her lips. "I'm sorry about your sister." I hiss. "Which I never even _met"_

"No no, you're apologizing for your district's tributes. Go on" 

"Jean... told me.. she's sorry for winning. Your sister deserved that life"

Sloane nods. "Damn right she did" she cleans the knife on my tanktop. "Can you just.. untie me already?" 

Sloane laughs. "You think I'll let you leave; funny" "I said what you asked me to, but your sister is still dead isn't she?" I pant. Fighting to stay conscious. Sloane's face twitch, she looks away from me. "No.. All I need is to go on with you"

"No, you _know_ torturing me won't bring her back. She is dead and the only way you can see her is by killing yourself" I stare her up, she's got a few inches on me. 

"Don't you make me fucking cut you in half, Blackwood!" Sloane hisses. Bringing the edge of her knife to my throat. _Do it._ My eyes don't leave her gaze, a staring competition I won't back down from, If I'm dying today, this will be the last thing I'll do. 

I take all my will power and aim and spit blood in her face. 

A canon fires loud and clear on the other island. Someone else is dead. _might as well give up now._ My brain whispers. _no point in fighting anymore, just fall unconscious and maybe never wake up..._

" _Goddamit_ Sloane!"

Sloane's partner is awake, and he managed to rip apart his cables, Sloane removes the knife from my throat.

Instead she jabs it into my stomach and raises her sword, ready to fight her partner. 

The pain hits me like a train and this time, I can't refrain from Screaming. I can't make up what exactly am I screaming, but at some point, I started screaming Jace's name. 

Sloane and her partner fight it out infront of me, he is fast enough to dodge her hits and grab at her wrists, pulling her down and pinning her down hard, on the ground. "I warned you- I won't hasitate to take you down if you torture that girl" 

Sloane struggles to get up and I'm struggling to stay awake, my breath becomes heavier and faster, I'm losing more and more blood. 

_Keep going._ Jean encourages me. My dad, my mom, Nina. Oh no, Nina! My eyes open up, wide. _Please don't force her to watch this. Please please please.._

I feel the image of Sloane on the ground with Collins above her blurring before my eyes. I can no longer feel the pain. _I am going to die._

I force myself to open my eyes and look up, not at Sloane and Collins fighting, not at the figure b lining towards us with marvelous speed..

Even from afar I can recognize him, the boy I kind of love.. my protector and friend.. Jace.

 _He won't reach me in time. I won't be able to say_ _goodbye_....

Don't look at him, don't listen to him screaming your name, his voice sounds like he's coming from underwater. I close my eyes and think of the last good memories can conjure: Nina spinning in her new dress, Jean hugging me on the rose garden on the roof, Jace's lips closing on mine.. forgetting for a moment where we are.

_Where am I again..?_

"Charlotte, I'm here!" That voice sounds strangely familiar, yet still underwater. 

My eyes flicker open one last time, before they close again.

I no longer feel anything


	13. Unlucky number 13- part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final day continues as the last Three tributes fight for the crown.

**Sloane Berkley**

**District 2**

**Female tribute for the 111th hunger games**

Charlotte Blackwood's canon is music to my ears. 

All I have to get through now is Collins, because Hawthorne is too busy untying her limp body from the tree, he sobs her name again and again. 

Collins has my sword, all I gotta do it take it from him. 

I bite at his clutching hand, that's enough for him to lose his grip on me. Me knocking him out earlier messed with his strength, he possibly has a concussion. 

Jace Hawthorne leans Charlotte's body gently against the tree's trunk and turns to face us: he is soaking wet and has patches of blood on his neck and shoulders that might be Esmeralda and might be him, who knows? 

But the look in his grey eyes is terrifying.

Jace has a measly throwing knives- Esmeralda's knife- in his hand. My guess is that he took it out of himself to use against Collins with my sword. Jace fights Collins with a ferocity I've never seen, he managed to duck Collins' attacks masterfully, like someone who's been trained. 

From my place on the floor, I manage to trip Jace just as he prepares to duck again, he falls on my back like a fallen tree. 

"You did this!" Jace crawls on me an yanks me by the hair. 

With Collins no longer on me, I manage to roll on my back, pushing Jace against the ground. "Damn right I did" I hiss. 

Something silver and red shines in the sunlight and I realize pretty Late what it is: Esmeralda's throwing knife. Jace is free to stab the knife to my stomach, almsot the same spot I did Charlotte just a few minutes ago. 

Jace takes his knife out and pushes me off of him as I struggle to get up, pressing my right hand- which Thanks to Collins, I only now regained feeling in- to my stomach . _on your knees, you fucking bitch. That fight is not over._ My father spits in my head. 

Like it or not, I have my father's ferocious eyes and nature. I will _not_ be gutted by a fucking outlier. 

Collins is prepared to take a good stab at Jace, who ducks it and slashes a clean cut with the throwing knife across Collins' face. 

The cut doesn't kill him, only sends Collins back, dropping my sword. I take it with my right hand, My _Otrera. Back in my hand._ I ignore the agonizing pain in my stomach, I fight through the dizziness:

A battle cry erupts from my mouth as I charge at him full speed from the left: he is too focused on watchimg Collins and not me. 

By the time I reach Jace he's caught unannounced. My momentum allows me to tackle him down, I stand up shakenly and step on his hand, forcing him to release the knife. 

I raise my Sword with the tip pointing down before I strike him right through his heart. 

The canon that follows silences everything. At this point, my body has given up, I fall to the ground but just before I do, two blood covered hands grab me. "You deserved it" Collins holds me down on his lap. "I'm the reason you're.. still alive" my breaths become short and quicker. Every bit of me is fighting to stay alive.

But I won't.. not with Collins clearly in a better spot than I am. Yes, his face are a bloody mess and one of his eyes is closed, but it's not fatal.

"Was it worth it? Your little vendetta has come to an end" He asks me. 

_Was it worth it if you clearly aren't the winner? Were Blackwood's screams for her outliar ally worth it?_

I don't have a clear answer to that. 

My head hurts, and a vision a laughing Clarisse flashes through my mind. "She's calling me" I gasp. "Your sister?" Collins' voice is floating somewhere above me. 

"Yes.." 

"Well then, go to her" he says quietly. 

"Collins?"

"What?" His voice sounds so far away. "Thanks for staying here with me. I didn't wanna go alone" 

"Sure, no one deserves to die alone" 

Clarisse's laugh grows louder, closer. Sleep washes over me like a river.

* * *

**Jean Trojillio**

**District 11**

**Victor of the 110th hunger games, mentor to ~~Charlotte Blackwood~~**

****I continue to stare at the screen even when the games move on, when Jace cries over her while Sloane and Collins fought, even when Jace stabs Sloane and slashes Collins' face, even when Sloane screams bloody murder and kills Jace.

Even when Collins is announced victor. 

A pair of familiar hands wraps around me, dad. 'Jeanie.."

"We have to go" I hear Medea's voice somewhere behind me. 

I stand up on shaking feet, dad takes my hand and leads me to the stairs. "Go with Medea to the tribute center, okay?" 

"The morgue-" is all I manage to say. "I'll take care of the body. Go with Medea" 

"Come with me" she takes my hand and leads me down the stairs- I'm pretty sure if it wasn't for her, I'd fall down the stairs gloriously for all the Capitol sponsers and stylists to see.

"Oh, Jean darling! I'm so sorry" Giorno rushes in out of no where, concern in his green face. "The first year is the hardest" if I look in his eyes, I can see he means it- and he knows what its like to lose every year. 

"Give her some space please" Medea commands, equipped with the career glare. "Of course, of course. But you can talk to me if you need" Giormo continues to look at us even when we walk away. 

The road to the tribute center went in silence. I didn't wanna talk, and Medea respected that. 

Medea presses the 11 button, but not the 4 one. "You don't have to stay" I murmur. 

"You stayed with me, so I'll stay with you for as long as you need" she plants a small kiss on my forehead.

The elevator opens to the lobby, avoxes are cleaning the perimeter, the stop to let us pass, either looking away or nodding at us in pity. 

I crush on the double sized bed, Medea sits next to me. "We're lucky the reporters didn't catch you when we left, otherwise you'd have to answer their questions- you will have to answer to them at the victory party tonight, but it's better later than now" 

"I don't think I'll be able to answer their questions" my stupid attempt at keeping the tears at bay fails. Medea takes it as a sign to pull me close to her. "But you won't be alone. You'll have James, and me" 

I know I have. So for now I hold on to Medea and let her soft kisses calm me down as my tiredness takes root in my mind. "I'll wake you up in time to get ready for the victory party, okay?" Medea strokes my curls softly.

"Medea?" 

"Yes?" Her eyes are blue as the noon sky outside, in the afternoon they will show a rerun of the end of the last day to every district worker and child. To Charlotte's little sister.

_I want to keep her innocent for as long as I can._

"Will you stay with me?" 

"For as long as I can" she leans on the bed, cuddling me in her arm as my eyelids close, a single tear runs across my cheekbones and drops to the bed. 

I still have hell to go through tonight. 


	14. From the Victor's throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Collins never asked for any of this.

**Collins Core**

**District 2**

**Victor of the 111th hunger games.**

"Please step away from the body" said a robotic voice after the victory announcement.

I do as I'm told, I let down Sloane's body gently on the ground and step back from both her body and Hawthorne's body. 

There is only eerie silence as the hovercrafts pick up the bodies, I assume they cut the cameras by now. "I'm washing my face in that pond" I don't have to yell for them to hear me, so I kneel next to the pond and watch the water slowly turn red. 

I can't see a thing on my right eye, the cut from the knife started bellow my chin and across my face, slitting the right eyebrow as well.

The big hovercraft- the one meant for me- hovers above the pond, they let down the ladder and I climb easily to the top. 

Inside I meet several doctors, non of them ask how I feel, non of them congratulate me. I don't mind, I'll get enough "congratulations" once we reach the Capitol again. 

On the landing pad I meet up with Kennedy Orsero. My supposed mentor; honestly, I wish Nero took on the job this year, because from the moment I steeped on the train I disliked him, and it was clear Carmen de Silva disliked him too.

"Congrats kid, better you than Carmen's girl. This will show that bitch you don't humiliate me in public" he murmurs. 

Anastasia McMillan mouthes from behind Kennedy: _he's drunk again._

_*****_

"I look like shit" I mutter.

"Don't say that!" Honora slaps me on the wrist. "You are devilishly handsome in this outfit" 

The suit was a mess of neon red and pitch black sewn together in an "asymmetrical" way. 

Carmen simply snickers at my outfit. "Let's go already" 

As Yelene introduced our team one by one, I try to locate familiar faces in the crowd, most specifically: Jean Trojillio's face. I can't let her think I wanted Charlotte to die like this. 

If you ask me, Charlotte would be a much better substitute to stand here. 

I almost miss my que before the cheers of the crowd ground me back into reality. I walk out to wave to the whole nation, I have to bend down so Elenia can put the crowd on my head, but the president pats my shoulder and points me to the throne. 

I answer the questions the same way I answered the pre game interview questions: as short and honest as I can. I look away when the screen shows me killing, I look away during the whole scene in the end.

Apparently I'm supposed to stay at the party for as long as possible since it's "for me", but I find myself gravitating towards an open chair, to watch the tipsy Capitolites do their thing until I'm allowed to leave.

I never asked to be picked. But everyone knows you don't pussy out if you do. 

"Not social much. Huh? I get it. Last year sucked for me" oh Makers.. the one person I didn't wanna see tonight, I look up unwillingly. 

Jean Trojillio looks a lot shorter in person. "I just gave my first post-game losing interview. To be honest, if it wasn't for my dad I'd be a mess" she continues.

"I guess we don't fit well with them" I nod at the groups of colorful people in colorful clothes. We watch in silence. "Can we just call it even and finish at that?" She asks. "I guess we can, may the odds be ever in your favor next year" I offer a hand. Jean shakes it. "I had to get it out of my system. I guess I'll see you next year" she waves and walks away. 

Next year.. meaning I'll have to go back here, _Oh makers..._

"You look like you could use a drink" Carmen slurs, her dress the same color as her burgundy wine. "Something stronger than wine, maybe? And I'd like to be as far away from Kennedy"

"Everyone wants to be as far away from that son of bitch. Since Nero ain't stepping foot in that room anymore, I need someone competent to take his place" 

"I'm not your guy" 

Her face softens. "You know what? I'll give you the year to think about it, find yourself. We'll start small.. give you shifts and stuff. Now Come on! The whole Team wants to do a toast in your honor"

Only when I close the door behind me back in my room at the Two compound, I allow myself to break. If my father was here to see me, he would throw a glass and call me a pansy for crying, or worse. The academy does it to its trainees- literally beats the emotions out of you. 

But at least he wasn't Simon St Mark.

I heard horrid rumors about his punishments. Next to Sloane's, my childhood seemed like a walk in a theme park. 

_She's in a better place._ I try to convince myself. _She broke down in the end, but she deserves to be in a good place._

I stay like that as the sun slowly rose up again.

****

"You're Nyssa, aren't you?"

That girl is in Sloane's class, she walks around the main square clutching a short sword just like the one Sloane used in the arena, but the hilt looked more beaten up and the blade wasn't as sharp. 

"Yes, I'm Nyssa" she fidgets with her nails. "Carmen said I should give this to you then" I open my palm: the bead necklace that was Sloane's token dangles from my fingers. 

Nyssa grabs the necklace and moves her hand over each of the four beads. "This was her sister's token as well" she mutters. "Since she couldn't bring the sword with her to the Capitol, she brought it to me" 

"Can I?" 

She hasitates, but she gives me the sword anyway. The blade wasn't as new as the ones always supplied to the centre, meaning Sloane got it years ago, and never stopped training with it.

"That was a gift from Clarisse" says Nyssa quietly. "How'd you know?"

"We were pretty close" she takes the sword back, moving her finger across the non sharp edge of it. "She told me everything. Even about her dad" 

Well now I feel horrible: "I'm sorry for what I said to her, how she deserved to get stabbed" 

"But you were right. In a way, I lost Sloane in that arena the night before, when she got tipped over the edge with her revenge fantasy. Someone had to bring her down" 

"I guess I'll see you around?" I chuckle.

"I guess I'll see you around. Congratulations, Core" she waves, putting the sword back into the hilt, she turns around and puts on Sloane's necklace, she's probably gonna add a fifth bead next year, to finish. 

I start walking the long way back to the victor village.

_Who knew winning could feel this....unsatisfying.?_

* * *

**Jean Trojillio**

**District** **11**

**Victor of the 110th hunger games**

**February 112 ADD**

Two fresh graves stand next to Rainier's single one. 

I add Charlotte to the list of people I leave flowers to, I add her to my list of friends who listen to my concerto to the dead each month. I get better and better every time. 

I give Hailey's grave a sad smile, each year the space between the newly dug land and her headstone grows. Each year helps soothe the pain.

Medea helps soothe the pain too.

As victors, we have the privilege to write letters to our victor friends from the other districts, each time I get another letter in that round yet messy cursive I can recognize well, I feel my heart do a flip, and a stupid grin always sneaks into my face. 

When I return home, I find dad and Brianne watching stupid Capitol romances movies. Since it's Valentine's day. They cuddle together on the sofa, looking as peaceful as ever. " _Someone_ left you a gift on the kitchen table" dad says without looking up. 

I try to look like I'm not in a hurry to open it, the blue box contains chocolates in the shape of little fishes with hearts. Along with a note that says:

_Happy valentine's day, love, see you next month for the shoot?_

I completely forgot about the five year shoot: one of the Capitol magazines takes the five latest victors for an annual shooting for the cover. It's the last year Medea would be allowed to participate, but I'll take my few days with her. I take every chance I have. 

In all fairness, it was a very good cover. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun idea I started from just a minor character in "It's a long long way back home"  
> Thank you to everyone who read it till the end and especially you: darth_nell . Thank you for every comment you amazing perosn💕

**Author's Note:**

> All the little Percy Jackson references like the bead necklace are because Sloane was originally a Percy Jackson OC of mine, Nyssa is named after Nyssa Barnera from HoO because she was a girlfriend for Sloane at camp.


End file.
